Monster
by Finaly123
Summary: Enjorlas is turned into monster to avoid disaster. He must find one person who will like him the way he is or he'll stay as monster forever. But how could anyone like him? Like the Monster? Rating T for next chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N  
Hi there! This story has built up in my head while i was watching Notre Dame de Paris. Somehow it mixed up with Beauty and Beast and here we have the story! I'm terribly sorry for my grammar. English is not my native language and I'm still learning it. Anyone who would like to be a beta for this story can PM me. But you can PM me whenever you want. :)  
I will try to upload as regularly as possible, but don't except miracles from me. School is about to start in a two weeks so...  
Reviews are welcome!

_Italic=memories or dreams_

Disclaimer: I own nothing. (Not that I do not want to.)

* * *

Chapter 1

He walked into the cold streets of Paris leaving his friends behind him. Tonight they finally succeeded with their plans. Last thing, that was needed was some sort of sign. Sign, that would tell them, it´s time to strike. Sign, that´ll make his dreams finally come true.

He always dreamed of equality and freedom for all people. He was ready to fight, whatever it takes and he would not surrender, till he´s alive.

His name was Enjolras.

It was his last name. His first name was secret and mystery for everyone. Most of Les Amis have already asked him about his true name, but he never told them. Now, only one, who still have the courage to ask him question about his first name was Grantaire. And only if he was really drunk. (which was quite regularly)

As he walked through the streets, he allowed his mind to think about past days. About Amis. About his dreams, his plans and lastly about certain street urchin. And about her words. About her life.

* * *

_It was few days before. He finished his last speech of the day, when he realized her. She was sitting alone in the corner. He saw her eyes on him but she quickly moved them on white wall behind him. Marius´shadow. That´s how they called her. He wasn't surprised that Marius wasn't present. He was surely with his beloved... what was her name again? Collete? Corguete? Oh, Cosette! Never mind that. He was with her every night since Shadow showed him where she lives. Not that he would blame her for that._

_He sat beside Amis and picked out his books. There was much work to do and he can't allow himself a break. He must place the barricades around. A lot of work and small amount of time._

_He couldn't last at work very long because of Grantaire's loud singing. "Grantaire, put that bottle down!" he shouted, but all he get was Grantaire's laughing. "Come on Enjy. You should allow yourself some fun. Everything you ever do is your work. You are always like a statue... a marble one!" he said and his head fell on the table. Enjolras sighed."Joly, please, take care of him, because I swear, I´ll let him sleep outside on streets!" Enjolras was shouting as he packed himself up."Enj, you really need some fun!" said Courf when he was leaving at the door. Enjolras quietly laughed and he closed the door to Café._

_Musain was his favourite Café for years now. It was quiet, clean and they make good coffee too. It was excellent place for meetings, because owner allowed them to use room on floor. They were hidden and they could work undisturbed._

_He was on his way home, when he realized that someone was following him. He heard soft footsteps on pavement somewhere behind him. He stopped. He could still hear that footsteps. They didn't stop, they continued. He slowly looked behind his back and saw black figure behind.A shadow. It was getting closer and closer. Maybe he wasn't followed. He sighed and he was ready to continue in his way when he heard someone who was calling his name. "Monsieur Enjolras!" It was the figure behind him. He quicken his walk and he found a small knife in his pocket. His fingers touched it and he felt more sure about himself. "Monsieur!" the figure said loudly. He turned to figure and he was facing her! "Shadow!" he said surprisingly before he realized that it isn't her real name. He felt ashamed of that. He must heard it from Marius at least ten times an yet he can't remember it. An here she´s staying, with knowledge of his own name. Well, surname but it´s still more than he knows about her._

_"Yes, Monsieur, it´s me but..." she started but he interrupted her. "I´m terribly sorry. I should have known your name. You´re part of Amis too. Again I´m sorry." he said with hope, that she would tell him her name without asking. As he saw later, she wouldn't. Instead of that she gave a package into his hands. "It´s from Monsieur Marius. He said to give it to you," she said and she stood there before him, her hands in pockets of her old tattered coat. If you wouldn't know her, you would think that she´s boy, with her cap on her head. Her face was covered in dirt and her hair were put in her cap. He carefully examined package. Books. At least Marius didn't forget to return them to him. "Thank you," he said and he get a coin from his wallet._

"Here, take it,"he stretched his hand to her. She backed, her eyes filled with horror. "I don´t want your money, sir." He didn't understand what has gotten into her. " Take it, I can see, that you could use some money," he offered the coin once again to her but she shook her head and she took a step back. "I don´t need your pity, sir" she almost spat the last word at him. "Well, then don´t take it as pity. Take it as gratitude for your time and for your troubles to get me," she shook her head again. She was really stubborn."Take your money. You´ll need it," she said and she turned around to leave."No, stop," he said before he could stop himself. She looked at him with question in her eyes. Enjolras didn't know what to say. " Um... um... What´s your name? Again I´m sorry I forget it," he said rather too fast. She turned around to continue at her way but he heard her whisper: "Éponine."

* * *

He sighed at memory of her. She was difficult to understand. Her life was mystery to him and yet he could tell that she hates her life. She was quiet around Amis, she listened to them, but she never joined their conversations. She was sitting there in her corner , her eyes moving from one Amis to another. He shook his head from that thought. That girl was intruding him. Them. But he can´t tell her to leave. Not after what she´s done for him.

* * *

_It was cold Monday. Enjolras hates Mondays. People are rude and uneasy and they snap at you after almost every question. That´s why he hates Mondays. But this Monday was exception. He was preparing for this Monday at least a week. All of Amis were in streets of Paris talking about new beginning and equality for everyone. They planned riot on Wednesday and they must invite as much people as possible. The riot would be in front of Lamarque´s house. He was talking to group of miserable people but they didn't seem to listen or understand. "Look, we can be equal. For me, we´re equal even now. We can throw the King out and there would be freedom for everyone!" he said but they dull eyes didn't even moved. He was ready to talk again when one of them stood up. "How do you know for sure? If you would somehow destroy king, where is surety that there wouldn't be another one? I tell you boy, there won't be freedom or other things that you have mentioned. There are always some people which yearn for power and they would destroy you. Your idea may be good, but you´re too blind to see some things," the miserable said and he sat down to his companions. Enjolras blinked at them and slowly turned around. He was walking through that poor quarters without any success._

_ "Citizens of Paris! Listen..." he screamed in despair but he was stopped by hand on his mouth. The person was dragging him in some dirty alleyway. He mumbled something but was shushed in no time. He realized that the person is not strong enough to hold him when he would use his strength. He quickly turned and hit person behind him before he could stop himself. Figure fell down on dirty pavement and her face was hidden in long hair. Soon he recognized old tattered coat. Cap was lying on ground near her. Realization hit him. It was her! Again, what was her name? But more importantly why has she brought him here?_

_"Are you stupid?" she asked him as she got up from ground. Blood was slowly running down from her lips. She spat the blood on the ground and she wipe rest of it with her sleeve. "What´s wrong with you? Why have you brought me here?!" he said loudly. She immediately put her hand on his mouth. She sends him shooting glare and then she looked around. "Be quiet," she almost whispered. "What´s going on?" he murmured. "Quiet!" she said and she pulled him in corner. She pushed herself on wall and pulled him closer. He looked at her with question in his eyes. She slowly looked behind his arm. He looked too and saw man in blue uniform. Inspector Javert! He immediately turned his eyes to her. She was still looking on Javert. After a few seconds she pulled him away. "He´s gone," she said and she was ready to leave. "Wait! I´m sorry! I didn't mean to hit you," he grabbed her wrist and she stopped. She sighed. "I´m used to it," she said slowly. When realization hit her she said: "Forget about it." _

_His eyes were still on her. He didn´t know what to say. So she was abused regularly. How blind he was to not realize it earlier. "I can help you," he offered her but she laughed slightly. "You can´t." "But..." he started but she was unwavering. "You´ll get yourself in trouble so stop with worrying about me and worry about you," she said and turned her head from him. "I´m really grateful for what you did but please, let me help!" he said stubbornly as she__.  
"I´m sorry to tell this but you almost get yourself in jail today. Javert would not hesitate to catch rebels. And you want to help me with someone who´s worse than ten Javerts at once?" He closed his eyes for a few seconds. Why must she be so stubborn? She was getting him mad. " Look, i don´t want any problems..." "Then don´t make them," she snapped at him and turned around. She was walking out of alleyway. She has already told too much about herself. "Wait! Will you be at the meeting tonight?" he asked her with hope in his voice. She hesitated for a second and then she nodded. "I will," she whispered and then she disappeared._

* * *

Her stubbornness. It was thing that irritate him most on her. He was desperate. She was the only one who could stood against him. The only one who dare to stood. And that was the mainly reason for their arguments. Her stubborn head. She could make everything he thought was right into totally mess. Everything he knew for certain was upside down once she get to it. Their last argument didn't end very well.

* * *

_It was Wednesday. Evening. Amis were celebrating their success on riot and Grantaire was on top of his drunkenness Enjolras was looking at Amis which were celebrating."You should really allow yourself some fun," a voice behind him said. He turned and saw her. He still didn't remember her name. He knew that she was on riot even if he didn't saw her. "You really should Enjy. You´re always like stone and you´re always in your books. Here get some wine!" Grantaire shouted and put a bottle in front of him._

Enjolras looked at him like he could kill him in any second. Grantaire laughed and stared once at him, once at bottle in front of him. "C'mon Enjy just one sip!" he said and soon everyone in room was looking at Enjorlas. "Grantaire, please!" Enjorlas said angrily. "Enjy! Enjy! Enjy!" Grantaire started and Amis soon joined. He heard a soft smile behind him. He looked at her. She looked back and he sighed. He took Grantaire´s bottle and took a sip of wine. He gulped and he can´t stop himself from laughing. "You see! It´s fun!" Grantaire said and he took his bottle back. "Grantaire, what if I tell you that someone has changed your wine for water?" Enjolras asked him.

Grantaire stopped himself in the middle of his walk. He looked on bottle and he drank from it. He spat the water on ground. "Enjy! It was you!" he said pretending anger. He get another bottle and he sat next to Enolras. "Don´t call me Enjy! I´m used to it but you should really stop. And no, I didn't change your wine for water," Enjolras sighed and Grantaire gave him disbelieving look. "I swear!" Enjolras almost shouted irritably. "Okay, okay..." Grantaire murmured and he walked to another table. Enjolras again heard her laugh. She was sitting next to him and he didn't even realize her. He was watching her for a while and then it hit him. "It was you, wasn't it?" he asked her. She smiled evilly.  
"And I didn´t tell him that all of his bottles are filled with water now," she said. Enorlas must laughed as well. No one could ever make Grantaire stop drinking. Well, this girl was surely smart. But he didn't want to talk about Grantaire.

_He was desperate for her options on the riot and speeches. She never tell him a word about any of his speeches. "Well, how did you like the riot?" he asked her. She sighed and was looking down at her feet. "What?" he asked maybe more sharply that he should. Her head shot up and her eyes were burning. "If you will continue, you will die." That sentence surprised him. He thought that she liked his speeches, his work.  
"You want to say that you don´t want equality? Why were you sitting here all the time?!" he said to her angrily. "It would be wonderful to have equality for everyone but it won´t work. Not the way you´re doing it. Because people won´t stood against the king. They´re scared. Maybe they´re listening to you, but their hearts don´t follow you." She moved her look back to her feet. He was quiet. But then he laughed. She looked at him. "Why are you laughing?" she asked him carefully. He stopped and he looked at her.  
"People will rise. Everyone wants to get rid of the king. You´re saying absurd things. Maybe they´re scared but when the times come they will rise and the world will change!" he said to her but she didn't look very pleasant. "You know nothing about us. Nothing about our lives. And you dare to talk for us!You should really stop dreaming." That angered him most. His dreams were all he ever fight for. No one could get them away from him not even she and her stubbornness.  
"When you don´t believe that we will succeed why are you still here?"  
"Because you need someone who will open your eyes. Are you ready to die on barricades? And if you would stay alive, are you ready to withstand the death of your friends and hundreds of people?"she asked him. "That would not happen. King would surrender when he´ll see people rise."  
_

_"People will NOT rise!" she said in despair. Then she stood up and left him alone in his thoughts. He laughed again. His dreams will come true. Whatever it takes._

* * *

That didn't end well. He knew he should respect her opinions, he was the one who was fighting for equality. But she was so... so stubborn. Her opinions may be right in some ways. She´s right about his knowledge of life of the poor. He was born in wealthy family and they still sent him money. He never felt hunger or cold or sickness. But people will rise. He was sure about that.

He was walking through the streets home, moon was shining on the dark sky. Everything was quiet. More quiet than usual. He felt as something will happen. Something important. He turned right and walked through the dark alleyway. Clouds came from nowhere and they blurred the light of the moon. Everything went dark.

Enjolras stopped himself. Something was wrong. There was a shadow on pavement. his own shadow in light. He quickly turned and he must covered his eyes from that sharp light. "What´s going on!" he shouted.  
"What magic?!" he whispered as he moved his hand from his eyes. There before him stood a woman. She has short brown hair and she was covered in light. "Who are you?!" he asked.  
Woman was walking to him. "Don´t be afraid. I´m here to help you. My name´s Fantine and I became a guardian angel," woman said and her white dress was floating in the air. Enjolras was left speechless. Is he dreaming? Is he not? Why is this happening to him?  
"You´re planning a revolution. I know, you mean it all in good way, but I was sent here to avoid disaster. Do you want to see what would happen if someone won´t stop you?" She didn't wait for his answer. She made a strange movement and Enjorlas found himself at barricade.

* * *

_"Combeferre! Watch out!" he was shouting, but he didn't want to. He lost control over his body. He was trapped inside like some viewer. He wanted to scream and yet, nothing has left his mouth. He was running through the wounded people around him. He saw her as she was jumping in front of him. There were dozens of shots and Amis were falling to the ground. He was the only one left. She was lying under his feet, blood splashing from her chest. Her eyes were closed and her breath was fading away. She slowly opened her eyes and said:"You see? People didn't rise." Her head fell down and her eyes were shutting down."No!" he screamed. He didn't want this. "Fantine! Stop it!" he screamed desperately in his mind. He saw as some man of National Guard was aiming on him. He heard shot. And then it all went black._

* * *

His eyes shot open. His breathing was really fast. " What... what was that?!" he asked. Fantine came to his side and put her hand on his shoulder. "Future." was the answer. "I need you to saw it so we can avoid it. Your passion was so huge that it blinded other thoughts of yours. You didn't care for anybody or anything else in world when your passion ruled you," Fantine exclaimed and she felt silent.  
Enjolras was shooking his head in disbelief. "No... It can´t be," he whispered more to himself than to her. "Now, you must pay a price for your blindless. You hurt more people than you can imagine. Most of them blame you for damage which your passion did. And you must pay that price," she said pitifully. "No! Please don´t do anything to me. I will not build that barricades. I won´t I swear!" he said with fear in his eyes. He didn´t know what price he must pay. But Fantine continued.

"It´s not so easy. As time will go on you will continue with your plans. You will hurt people around you. I´m here to help you, remember? That price might be high and you will suffer but when you make it, world around you will change too. I´m going to explain you details so listen carefully," she said and she looked exactly in his eyes. "You´ll be turned into human monster. Your face would not be beautiful, one look on you would make everybody go away. You must learn what is the life of a poor when you want to speak in their name. With your face and body you will be on streets without a doubt. It´s cruel child, I know, but it is necessary. You must understand the people and find at least one, who would like you the way you are,"

Enjolras didn't believe his ears. No! He cannot be turned into monster. Into some cripple. That can´t be right. "Please... don´t make me do this!" he begged but Fantine only sighed. " It must be done not only for your sake. But for sake of your friends too. For sake of France. You never mean to do any harm, I know, but if you would continue, you would get yourself and your friends killed," she said to him and she continued.

"Listen, when you woke up you won´t be at your flat anymore. That place will have a new owner. You can´t go there. You would wake up on streets. And you must find your own way. I´m sorry Enjolras. It has to be done," she said and again she made that strange movement. "No! Please stop! Please..." he screamed as loud as he could but his scream faded away. His thoughts faded away. World was black in a few seconds.

Last though he had was though of Death.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N

So, new chapter here. Yes, it's shorter. I"ll try to write longer one.  
I'm pretty surprised by number of views. I would like to thank anybody who clicked on this story and gave him chance and maybe liked him. I get first "Favorite Story"! Thank you Broadwaylover56 !:D  
Again, I'm sorry for my English. I hope you understood what I wanted and want to say. :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing (Again...)

* * *

Enjolras woke up really slowly. His head was aching and his vision was completely in fog. At first he didn't recognize the place, where he woke up. But as his vision became clearer he thought about why on Earth would he sleep on a street. He looked around and found out that it was early morning. Why was he sleeping on the street? Maybe he fell to the ground and hit his head. That would explain headache he had. Or maybe Grantaire finally made him drunk. Or maybe... And then it smashed him. His eyes enlarged as he started to remember events of yesterday night.  
"No!"he whispered. His hands shot to his face. He must get mirror. He must see his face. But even the look on his hands was terrible enough. They were scarred really badly and yet he didn't felt any pain. He close his eyes and stood up. "This is a bad dream. A nightmare. Wait and it'll end,"he told to himself, but he didn't wake up. It wasn't dream. It wasn't nightmare.  
He opened his eyes and he sighed. He need to see himself.  
He was walking through the morning streets of Paris. People were shunning from him and one small boy almost spat at him, but he avoided that spit.

Soon he found himself at Seine. Yes, that was the mirror he needed. He walked to the shore and gave a look to his hands again. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and he ducked. He held his breath for a while and then he opened his eyes. Creature which was gazing at him couldn't be even considered as human. His head was deformed, scarred through and trough and burned on some places. His hair was ragged and almost white. His skin was also deadly white. His eyes, once full of passion were now dull and without emotions. He wanted to jump away from that creature, from that monster and yet he can't. His hand found nearer rock and threw it into water. He turned around leaving cold water behind him. "What's become of me?" he murmured and he sighed. He fell on his knees get some dirt and he watched as it was falling down between his fingers. He throw that dirt away angrily. "Where am I going to?"questions raced through his head leaving him desperate. "Why me? Why not the king? Why not another person. Why it must be me?" Tears were forming in his eyes but he didn't allow them to fall. He must be strong. He must show that he deserve another chance.

But why did he end up like this? Memories were coming to first, then second... He was really egoist to not see the people around him. How he was always shouting at Grantaire. How he was always sharp to Courfeyrac. How he didn't listen to that miserable man which said that he won't win his stupid revolution. He remembered how he snapped at Marius once he mentioned Cosette. He remembered look of Joly's mother when Joly left with him to fight for freedom. He remembered little Gavroche which was pleading him to join them.  
And at last he remembered her. As he always ignored her opinions. How he always find a way to oppose her. How he didn't care when she was visibly hurt.

He hated himself for it. He hated himself for being himself.

All he ever cared for was his Patria and love for France. Now, he could see how much people he had hurt. How his parents must have suffered when he left them. He was regretting every second of his life.

And now, he turned to human oddity and he must find his way through this mess. Maybe he should go to Café. Just in case Amis would recognize him.

He walked through the streets and was trying to ignore stares and strange looks people were shooting at him. He must buy a hood. He reached his pocket and found nothing. "Good, so I'm without money, without home and what will come next on the list?" he asked himself in his mind. Then he remembered on his last thought before passing down.  
Death. Why not surrender to Death? His miserable life will end and he would not harm people anymore. Maybe Death is his ticket to a better life.

But he throw that thoughts away. He can't die. Not now. He must repair what he has broken. And then, when there would be no debts and nothing would hold him here... maybe he would surrender to Death. But not now.

His steps was clapping on pavement as he made his way through the people which were still gazing at him. He was pleased, when he saw Café and he felt a little better after that sigh.  
Just before he opened the door his soul filled with guilty and fear. He knew that he bring pain to most of Amis and yet, they followed him. He take another deep breath and he opened the door. Soon the waitress come to observe him. "I hope you have money," she said and she examined him. "I'm sorry. I'm here to meet my friends,"he explained to her as she was still looking at him. "I'm sure that you can wait for them outside," she said sharply and she was pulling him to door. "He will only scare my guests,"he heard her murmuring under her breath. "Again, I'm sorry but they are already here,"he said to her surprised with her actions. "And who your precious friends are?" she asked still pulling him to door.  
"They call themselves Les Amis,"he answered and he waited until she processed what he had said. "Oh, wait here then. I will call them here for you,"she said as she was shooting last glare to his face. And Enjorlas waited.

Soon the footsteps were echoing through the staircase and he saw Joly with Combeferre. They came next to him and they were looking at him strangely too. "Do we know you?"Joly asked him avoiding eye contact with him. "'I'm Enjolras! Don't you recognize me?"he asked them knowing the answer sooner than it was spoken. "We're sorry, but you are certainly not Enjolras and you should go now, unless you want to get into trouble,"they said to him and Combeferre was going up stairs. "But I changed..."he started but Joly shook his head. "You better don't lie to us. We know Enjolras and he knows us. Really you should leave till it's time,"Joly said. Behind Joly's back slowly appeared Bahorel with Jehan and soon all of Amis were here. Except for Marius and her... "Leave. Now!" Bousset shout at him. Enjolras' head fell down and he left Café.

He had hope that his friends would recognize him. That they'll at least listen to him. He wasn't good leader. They deserve better one. "So, now I'm without friends too,"he sighed and he sat on pavement to clear his mind. "What should I do now? I'm completely alone without a sou. My home was taken from me and there isn't anyone who would let me stay at his house. What should I do? Where should I go?" his mind was completely lost. He didn't know what he wanted anymore. Should he end his life now?

He stood up from ground and his legs carried him somewhere. He let them to go. He didn't know where he was going till he didn't get there. It was a place where she saved him from Javert then. He recognized that dark alleyway and the walls of houses around. Maybe he should stay here. With miserables ones like him. Maybe he should try to find her.  
He didn't know anything about life on streets. It's time to find out about it. And with this he walked to the poorest quarter he could think of.

* * *

Days were passing and he didn't know what to do. He didn't find her and nobody was willing to help him. He didn't eat anything in days and he drank only water from wells he could find. Poor people around him were avoiding him and he stopped his trying to talk with them. He was there, sitting against the wall ready for Death.  
Hours were floating and soon it was night. Everything was silent once again. He closed his eyes for sleep but it didn't came. He felt full of energy even if he was weak from small amount of food he get.  
Today, yesterday and the day before he was begging for money. He didn't want to steal. He didn't know how to steal. But he never cared. Some good people throw him small amount of money, which he spared on bread. And now he was again without money.

He stood up quietly and he took the walk around poor quarters. He find himself in the slums of Saint Michel somehow. He walked to Elephant. For a few days he lived on streets he learned that Elephant was occupied by group of small thieves. He was never so near to it in his life. Soon he heard some voices. As he walked nearer and nearer he could identified what were persons talking about. There were two voices. One of smaller boy and one of the girl.  
"Take it and don't eat it all at once. Leave something for tomorrow. I will come when I find some free time okay? Don't get to trouble again." the girl said to boy carefully. Enjolras soon could recognized their figures in dark. "Yes 'Ponine. Don't worry about me and thank you. Tell Azelma Hi! from me,"boy said but Enjolras' thoughts were once again in different places. The name the boy called her. It sounds familiar. Where did he hear it? 'Ponine. Éponine. Oh, God. It has to be her! He finally found her. Finally.

"I will. See you later!"she said to the boy and sound of her voice awoke him from his thoughts. "Bye!"boy called after her and then disappeared into Elephant.

Enjolras was following her. She seemed to be deep in thoughts and she didn't realize him. Or group of older thieves that were going opposite them. He could see in their eyes that they were up to something. And he was sure that that something is really disgusting. He walked into shadows and he was watching where this situation will go. Éponine finally realized that group was near but there was no way back then. He watched as she continued her way.  
For few seconds it seemed that they would just pass her but then one of thieves grabbed her. Street lamp was lightning his black messy hair with hat on his head. "Leave me alone 'Parnasse."Enjolras heard her voice trembling. "Oh, but we didn't see each other for a long time, dear 'Ponine. We should make a proper conversation shouldn't we?" that man, 'Parnasse said.

Enjorlas was ready to strike but he knew that they were more strong than he was. So he waited. "You now what guys? Go home and I will be there with 'Ponine. We must discuss some things about our friendship," 'Parnasse said with his raspy voice. The other thieves were leaving and they passed Enjorlas without noticing him.  
"I'm gonna scream!"Éponine said with her voice which was getting louder. 'Parnasse immediately put his hand on her mouth. "Not a scream from you or your father will know that!"he said and started to drag her away. She mumbled something angrily and she was ready to hit Montparnasse when Enjolras appeared from shadows.  
"Let her go!"he said with fury in his voice which he didn't except. Montparnasse was looking at him and he laughed after few seconds. "And what do we have here? A monster? A cripple? You think that you can stop me?"he laughed at Enjolras but didn't realize that Éponine was free for a few seconds.

She kicked him hard between legs and then she smashed him in head hardly. Montparnasse felt to the ground unconscious. Éponine was breathing heavily. "Well, thank you for your help, Monsieur,"she said to him and she looked exactly in his eyes. From his transformation no one called him by that title. Poor were not calling him by name or title. They don't call him at all. For them he was just a monster. And no one looked exactly in his eyes. Everyone avoided him. Except for her.  
"It was nothing Mademoiselle,"he said to her but she shook her head. "I'm far from that title Monsieur. Just call me Éponine or 'Ponine,"she said to him, her big brown eyes not leaving him. "Than you don't call me Monsieur either," he looked down at his feet. Why was she so opened to him? "So how should I call you then?"she asked him and she took one step to him.

He sighed. Was he really about to tell her his real name? "Okay, she didn't know it's you,"he said to himself. "Philip. My name's Philip,"he told her after hesitating. "That's beautiful name, Philip," she said to him. "If you would know what it means..." he murmured and he looked up to her. "Well, you look hungry. I have enough bread for both of us. Are you coming?"she asked him. At first he thought that she actually may like him but then he thought that she's inviting him only as gratitude for his help. His stomach would follow her to end of the world and back again in that minute so he nodded.

She was the first one which has spoke to him willingly. She was first one who did not avoid him. She was the first one who tried to understand. She was the first one who brought the hope to him.

Maybe there's hope after all.

* * *

A/N  
For anyone who wants to know the meaning of Enjolras name. It means friend of horses. No offence to any Philip! I like that name. I wanted to call my brother like that but parents chose Marek (Mark) as his name.  
(I tell you secret about my English. I don't know how to use present perfect properly. I write on instinct. But I'll learn it at school this year so I'll repair things after that :) )

Thank you for reading. I"ll try to update at least one chapter this week and then I'm going to Prague for few days.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N

New chapter again. I feel that there would be more chapters till I get to Prague.  
Thanks to all of you who gave this story a chance. There's still no review here, but I don't mind that. I'm satisfied with the views I've got. I was planning longer chapter but I'm too tired to continue now. It's even shorter than Chapter 2.  
Maybe tomorrow. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing (without comment now)

* * *

Enjolras was following Éponine through the dark streets and alleyways of Paris. She seemed to know exactly where she is while he was completely lost after first ten seconds of following her. It must take her long time to learn about every secret passage and alleyway.  
Moon was shining on sky. It brought back memories of his earlier life.  
He changed his mind about her. She was still stubborn, but she was no longer sharp and sarcastic. Or maybe little sarcastic. Maybe there was mistake in him. Or maybe she just feels pity towards him in his state now. "And again she don't know it's me."  
Thoughts raced his mind as he followed her blindly across Paris.  
Soon she stopped and sat down on ground under some tree. That tree must've been really old. He was higher and thicker than most of other trees. "Why did she choose this place?"he wandered and soon he understood. Light of the Moon was more beautiful here and buzzing of leaf was so peacefully... It was beautiful sight in the middle of the night.

Enjolras sat with distance from her.

He felt her shiver as she handed him a slice of bread. So she really only pitied him. Why else she would shiver? How could he think that she might have like him? He took that slice quickly from her. His cold skin touched her warm fingers. She shivered even more than before, leaving him hopeless.

"Thank you,"he said silently and he started to eat slowly. She nodded her head and she felt silent. "You won't eat?"he asked her without any manners. His hunger was more powerful than his will to eat properly so he talked with mouth full of bread.  
She shook her head. "No, I ate already,"she said to him but he could tell that she didn't eat anything in days. He looked at her curiously as he was expecting her to answer him truly. "Okay, you've revealed me. I need to save that bread for my siblings. When I would really need it I would eat it,"she told him as she was getting herself up from ground.  
He looked to the rest of bread in his hands and then he handed it back to her. "Take it back,"he said to her but she backed. "No, you need that bread. I can see that you didn't eat properly in days," she said to him. He was looking at bread in his hand and he slowly pulled bread to him. "And you did?"he asked her, his eyes didn't leaving that peace of bread. She sighed. "Just eat it,"she said simply.

He finished his bread quickly without thinking about her kindness. He was preparing to ask her to help him but his thoughts about it won't leave his head.  
"Should I talk to her? Have I right to ask her these questions?" he thought to himself as he got up from ground too. He didn't feel right about asking her for help. She has already her siblings to take care of. Does she really need a monster as another hungry stomach to feed? "You know,"he started, " I'm new to streets and I would really appreciate some help. Would you... would you help me?"he asked her and he immediately felt his cheeks burning. "It must be ridiculous,"he thought as he remembered his deadly white skin.  
Now imagine a pale face of zombie and add red cheeks and ears to it. That would quite fit his expression.

But what surprised him most was to see her blushing saw hesitation in her eyes and he felt his hope slowly fading apart. "Please..."he begged her. She looked torn between helping him and between that chance he couldn't even think of. "Please,"he repeated,"just learn me how to survive. Learn me your ways of surviving and then I'll disappear. I'm just lost in this new world."  
She was looking on her feet. "Look, I understand that you are lost here. But why? Why me?"she asked him with weak indication of fear in her voice. "I should have known that she wouldn't do that. I should have known,"he told to himself as he was watching her expressions. "Well, you were the first one in these streets who showed me some kindness. I'm desperate. I don't even know how to steal something without being noticed. Give me... I don't know, give a month or two. Then I'll go away. Please,"he pleaded her with last hope which was streaming in his veins.  
He started to realize that all of the poor have always wanted to survive. That his inability of stealing or getting him money isn't proper excuse. That people in streets have learned to take care of themselves alone.  
He felt alone. He felt like there was no one for him in the whole world. Like everyone have turned away from him.

There was silence between them. Silence which filled every part of their bodies. every part of air around. Enjorlas let his head fell down with the rest of his hope. So now, he can surrender to Death. Now, that there isn't any chance for him he can end his life.  
But what about his promises to repair everything? He vowed to himself that he will repair what he broke. And now he was here and he didn't think about anything but that.

"Okay."

His first thought was that he overheard her. His head shot up and he found himself looking exactly in her brown eyes. "What?"he asked her. "Okay. I'll learn you how to survive," she repeated and then she fell silent again.

His heart was ready to jump from his chest. So he get another chance. Maybe there isn't everything lost. Maybe he still can fulfill his promises.

She gave him another chance, another reason to live.

"Like really?"he asked unbelievably. His eyes didn't lose quick smile which appeared on her lips. Smile disappeared the second he appeared. "Yes,"she answered and he jumped into air like small was laughing inside him and his heart filled up with quickly turned to her. "I owe you my life for your kindness. You cannot imagine the hope you bring to me. I would be grateful to you the rest of my life,"he said to her but as much as he wanted to hug her, he avoided any physical contact with her. He knew that she must find it hard to even talk to him.  
She smiled to him and she didn't hide it like the smile before. He started to like her smile. He found it adorable.

"Well, do you have any place to stay at night?"she asked him slowly. He shook his head. "As I expected,"she sighed as she was walking slowly towards nearly alleyway.  
"Are you coming?"she asked him when he didn't make any move from place where he was standing. He burst from his thoughts of joy and he quickly fetch her.  
He didn't know how could he describe his feelings right now. He was happy and yet he was scared what else will fate bring to him.

As they walked he was trying to get some kind of conversation with her. After few attempts he found out that she is silent person. She answered shortly and she didn't make any attempts to have a conversation with him. Or maybe she was just shy around strangers. "Or scared by monsters,"he added to himself.

"What's new around here? I've heard that there was something with revolution,"he started a new topic in effort to gain information about his work, his friends and maybe her opinions which he ignored before.

"It was planned, yes, but leader disappeared and group of revolutionaries crumbled. They're still meeting though but no revolution in near future. Then there's miracle about Lamarque. He was really close to death but he somehow managed to stay alive. At least there would be still someone who'll speak for us. Everything else is still the same."

So, his work had failed. Maybe it was better that way. Amis were still together and Lamarque was alive. He was on streets with girl he almost hated once which was now his only way out of this mess. Well, things are changing day by day.

"You said that their leader disappeared?"he asked with pretended interest in that cause. She turn her head to face him. "Yes, did you know him?"she asked him. He was panicking. He built up a quick lie and he hoped she would believe him. "No, but it's strange that leader would run away and he would throw away his work,"he said as calmly as he could. She was looking at him for a few moments and then she turned her head into her original position.  
"It was strange. He didn't even left a note. When his friends were going to get him they found out that his flat had new owner. I wouldn't told that he would leave without a word,"she said and that was end of another conversation they had that night.

They didn't talk about anything the rest of the way. They were walking maybe fifteen minutes when she stopped. "I'm going to observe situation home. Wait here," she told him and she disappeared into shadows of the night.

He stood there thinking. Maybe she can start to like him when they'll meet regularly. Maybe he won't be monster forever. But there was another part of his mind which was screaming: "She will never like you. How can someone ever like you? Like that monster you are?"

He was thinking about Amis. What did they think,when they found a new owner instead of him? Would they ever forgive him?

Time was running and she didn't appear. He was scared that she left him here and she won't come back. But as minutes were floating slowly she appeared from behind him. "It's alright. My father is not at home. My mother won't even notice that you'll be here. Follow me and be as quiet as you can,"she said to him and she started to walk through some bushes.

Bells of Notre Dame struck midnight. So he didn't sleep for at least two days. Now he started to feel exhausted. His eyes were ready to close and his body was ready to jump into sleep.  
She was still before him. "We're here. Now, be quiet and don't touch anything,"he already knew that but he didn't said a word to her. They walked inside house if you can call it house. It was more ruin with roof above his head. There were broken bottles on ground. Walls were stained with blood as well as floor. There was totally mess around him everywhere. She lead him to small room in corner.

It was really small room. Maybe it was originally used as pantry. There wasn't any furniture except from two old shelves on dirty wall. Room was without windows. There was small candle burning now.

There was another girl inside. She looked like she was only waiting for Éponine's arrival. He assumed they were sisters. Éponine took her cap from her head and she placed it to small shelf on wall without saying a word.  
"Where have you been? And who's this?"the girl asked Éponine and was determined to get answer from her.  
"I was with Gavroche. He says Hi! to you,"Éponine said and hoped that her sister would stop asking questions.  
"Something must have happened. And who is this I ask again?"she was really determined to get those answers from her sister.  
"Azelma, please,"Éponine begged but her sister didn't take that as an answer.  
"So this is Azelma,"Enjolras thought to himself. He heard about her before but he never connected her with Éponine.  
" 'Ponine, tell me truth or I'm calling mother here," Azelma said and she looked to Enjorlas like he could bring plague or leprosy to her. Éponine sighed loudly."Montparnasse was trying something again and he stopped him. He don't have place to stay at so I thought that as gratitude he could sleep here," Éponine said. Enjolras hide his smile. She told her sister truth without mentioning their deal. He must learn this ability too.  
Azelma shot another glare at him and again looked at her sister. "Okay,"she said slowly.  
"I was just worried about you," Éponine nodded and get her coat on ground. She was so skinny. He didn't notice that when her coat was on. Now, with ragged shirt on her he could see how skinny she really was. Azelma wasn't so skinny and Enjorlas could only guess why it is that way. Éponine surely get her all she could. Her care about her sister moved him.  
"But he will sleep on your place," Azelma said as she was lying onto some old mattress in corner. Enjolras woke up from his thoughts and looked at Éponine.  
"Whatever,"Éponine whispered. She look up to him. "So you'll sleep here," she show him same looking old mattress with thin ragged blanket but on the other side of room. "What about you?"he asked her with worry. He didn't want her to sleep on ground while he would sleep on her mattress. "That shouldn't worry you. Good night,"she said to him and she walked out of the room. Enjolras sighed and placed himself onto mattress. She was devoted to him and all he ever did to her was pain. Well'she didn't know it was him but he knew it.

Soon he fell asleep and he slept well first time from his transformation. Well, almost.

* * *

A/N

If I would not fall into my lazy mood, Chapter 4 would be here tomorrow or maybe today if you live in US. Now in Slovakia: 18:12.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N  
Again new chapter here. Thanks to all readers which have read this and continued here.  
If Grammar Nazis of English would found me, they would burn me alive :) I'm really sorry for all mistakes.  
I would like to thank my first follower emma .mg_.9_. Thank you whoever you are. It really makes me feel better.  
Number of views have decreased but till there will be someone who'll still read this I will continue with this story.

_Italic: Again memories and dreams_

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

_Enjolras felt like he was flying. He was hovering in empty space where was nothing to see in miles. There was sharp light around him but his eyes get used to it after some time.  
"Hey! Is anybody here?"he shouted. His voice was echoing through that light place. He turned around but didn't saw anybody. "Hey!"he souted again without respond.  
As he turned back he almost got heart attack. He was looking exactly in some brown eyes. And he soon recognized them. "Fantine!"he sighed. "Why are you here? Why am I still monster? Why didn't you stop it?Why did you leave me on streets alone? Why did you do that? I was completely alone, my friends didn't recognize me, my home was sold and what else will come?"he was shouting at her at least three minutes. After that she was getting nearer to him._

_"You weren't listening to me that time?You must pay for what you have done. You must understand that I'm not responsible for this. I'm something like mediator. I made it happen but I didn't plan it,"she said to him patiently. She sat into the empty air and continued: "If you want at least succeed in your revolution you must understand poor people but I hope that I'll get the idea of revolution out of you somehow."_  
_Enjolras clenched his fists tightly. ""JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"he screamed his voice filled with despair. He fell on his knees and was levitating on them in that empty space. "Just leave me be!"he whispered silently. "As you wish,"Fantine said and she was disappearing slowly. Enjolras looked at her blur figure in horror._

_"No!"he shouted. "Wait! Please! I will listen just don't leave me alone here!"he screamed hopelessly. He sat into empty air just like Fantine did before him. "Okay,"he heard her but he didn't dare to look at her. "Enjolras, I know that it is really hard for you but yesterday you did one big step to gain your previous futures. Follow __Éponine. She knows her way around and she's pretty smart too. I watched you yesterday. You did well but be careful with her. She's strong but even she has her limits. Take it as advice for future,"she said and she waited till he process new information he got._

_After that small break she continued: "Learn about poor. Learn their ways, learn about their lives and take it to your heart. I will come one more time to announce you that time of your another transformation will be near but not here. Remember, you can lost everything in few seconds. So be strong Enjorlas. Don't give up. Find your own way."And with that she dissapeared into the light._

* * *

Enjolras burst from his sleep. He felt someone slapping him lightly. His mouth was clogged with something and he felt small hand on his lips. There was only darkness around him. He slowly realized some voices.  
"Do you think he's awake already?" voice asked. He recognized Azelma behind it. "I don't know, but wake him up is harder than waking up you. That's something,"other voice muttered. "Éponine,"he thought. _Follow __É__ponine. _Fantine's voice was still ringing in his head. "I will,"he thought to himself. "But where's Fantine now?"he wondered inn his mind

And again he found out that his mouth is still clogged. He started mumbling through some sort of scarf or rag or whatever it was. "Looks like he's awake. Finally,"Azelma said. He felt as hand, which was covering his mouth moved and get that rag from his mouth away. "Why did you..."he started but hand immediately covered his mouth. "Be quiet or you will wake up my mother. And you won't like that,"Éponine said to him silently. "More important we won't like it," Azelma said angrily. Their mother would certainly don't like that there is some cripple man sleeping in her house.  
But he realized that he get some physical contact with someone willingly even if it was slapping or making him silent. But he wanted to know what happened first. Then he can celebrate his new success. "Why there was rag in my mouth and why are you two awake? It's not morning yet, is it?"he asked almost whispering.

Azelma took the words before Éponine could. "You started screaming in the middle of the night! Éponine was running here and she shut your mouth up with that rag. You were screaming something like: Leave me alone! or Leave me be! You have luck that you didn't wake up mother! We were here at least five minutes and you didn't woke up. And I thought that I'm difficult to be woke up from sleep. You take away ten minutes of my sleep. I hope that you aren't staying another night!" she finally ended her version of story.  
"Azelma!"Éponine said to her with fear in her voice. "What's going on again? I didn't need to be so sharp? Or I should have some respect? I don't care,"Azelma said irritably.  
Enjorlas couldn't see anything in darkness here. But he could imagined Éponine's fearful expression when he heard her voice saying: "Father is getting home."Azelma fell silent. And Enjorlas didn't understood anything. There was a silence between them.  
"Stay here. Both of you. And don't get out till it ends. Azelma, lock the door. Philip, be quiet and listen to Azelma," Éponine said and she left the room. Seconds before she closed the door she could hear their voices: "Éponine no!" That one was from Azelma. "What's going on?" Enjolras was asking when front door opened with loud smash. Figure appeared in the weak light of far streetlamp. And that was all Enjolras could see before Azelma closed the door of small room and locked them.

* * *

Azelma lighted small candle on ground and it as it lighted the small room he heard an argument of Éponine and her father. Azelma was sitting on ground, face buried inside her hands. "What's happening?"he asked her. She shook her head slightly. "Father. That's what's happening,"she snapped at him and she buried her face in her hands more deeply. She took a deep breath as scream came from the near room.  
Enjolras jumped from mattress ready to unlock that door. "No! You'll make it only worse!"he heard Azelma and he was feeling her hand on his wrist. He turned to her. "What's happening?' he repeated his question once again. They heard another scream and Azelma's hand tighten around his wrist. "I'll explain you everything just sit down,"she begged him. He sat down and was looking straightly on Azelma. "I'm sorry about snapping at you earlier,"she began. He just nodded and he was waiting for her to start. "Well, our father is drunkard. He is drunk almost every night when he comes home. Sometimes I and 'Ponine get unnoticed but mostly he comes in and drags away 'Ponine. He beats her badly but she is silent all the time. She won't tell him a word to stop. She takes that beatings even for me. I'm worrying about her every time he's doing that,"she said to him. He could feel her care for her older sister.  
There was silence between them for a while. Silence was interrupted by Enjolras. "So why don't you leave him and this house?"he asked her almost whispering. Screams were slowly fading away from the nearby room. "We can't. Father will send his gang after us. And we won't have a roof above our heads,"Azelma answered quietly as he. She was really scared about her father. He could almost felt her shivering.  
But more important was that Éponine was only one room away and yet he can't help her. "So leave him to me! I'll stop him!"he said as he stood up. Azelma stood up in his way. "Don't you understand?"she asked him angrily. "You'll make only more troubles to her. And you won't beat my father especially not when he's drunk. So please, sit down and don't move till it's over!"she said to him with hopeless voice. He looked at her green eyes and then nodded. He saw that Azelma cared about Éponine and that she wanted to jump in too... But he saw her fear...He saw her worry...  
He sat down and they waited. And time seemed like eternity for both of them.

* * *

Éponine was looking exactly in eyes of her father. They were dull once again without any emotion. She sighed silently and she faced him. "You were waiting for me I see," her father said. His breath was filled with smell of alcohol. He didn't wait for her to respond him and he slapped her. She was falling to the ground and her heart filled with anger that she always held inside her. "Why must you drink so much?"she asked him as she was lying on dirty floor.  
"What did you say you ungrateful little..."he started and was getting nearer and nearer. "I was asking you a question. Why must you drink so much?" she repeated although she knew she should hold her tongue. "You little whore!"her father shouted and he kicked her hard into stomach. "I have fed you for eighteen years. I gave you everything. I was best father you could ever get!" he was kicking her after every sentence. "And you now what? One bird flew to me and said that you didn't want to have a way with him. You now what that means?" "So Montparnasse already told father everything about yesterday night,"she thought in her mind. That certainly won't help situation.  
Éponine decided that's right time to shut up. She wanted to tell him everything about him being best father she could ever get. She wanted to shout about Montparnasse everything. She was ready to say him everything, but she can't. Not today. Because who knows what would happen if she get her father super angered. He could even find Azelma and Philip. She was glad that Gavroche wasn't here. She ignored his talking but she cannot held her screams anymore. Pain which she felt when her rib was broken was indescribable. She didn't know how much time passed when world around her became blur. She was in endless fog where you can't fell anything your vision became smudged but she was conscious.

* * *

Everything was silent for a while. Azelma stood up silently and she get to door. "Stay here. I'm going to find out if father is still here and how bad is Éponine on it,"she said to him without looking on him. "You don't think that I'm going to stay here," he whispered to himself so quietly that she won't hear him.  
He won't stay here while his friend is hurt. His thoughts surprised him. He already considered Éponine as his friend. And he talk to her properly only yesterday. He would be more careful in past. He would not allow anybody to consider him as friend till he know s everything about him. But times have changed.  
Azelma unlocked old door and she slipped through the small hole which she made. Enjolras stood up and he opened that door more. He walked quietly to another room to find two dark shadows. One, which belonged to Éponine was sitting against the wall. The other one which was surely Azelma's was leaning over Éponine. The shadow of their father was missing. At least, shadow of their father have missed.  
He heard Azelma whispering: "'Ponine, wake up!" Éponine murmured something but even in weak light he could saw that she didn't wake up.  
Only now he realized weak light that was struggling through the filthy windows. It must be really early morning. His eyes slowly used to that light and he walked towards two sisters.  
" 'Zelma?"he heard weak whisper from Éponine's lips. "I'm here don't worry. How bad is it?" Azelma was asking and she carefully observed Éponine's face. "I've worse," Éponine said weakly and she got herself up with help from her sister. "Broken rib, cuts and bruises like usual," Éponine murmured as Enjolras walk near her to help her too. They walked to the small room where they lives. "It'll heal quickly,"she stated as they lied her on her mattress. But she sat almost immediately. "Philip, we have to go. Mother can't find us here," she said as she stood up painfully.  
She get her coat from ground and took her cap quickly. "Éponine, wait, you're hurt!" Azelma told held before she could open door. Éponine turned around. "There's not enough time. See you later," Éponine said and grabbed Enjolras' hand. She was limping slightly but she didn't stop herself. "Éponine! Be careful please. Don't get into trouble," Azelma said to her and that made Éponine stop. She get her hand into pocket. "Catch!"she told to Azelma and she threw her a slice of bread. Then she continued in her way with Enjolras at her feet. "Thank you!"they've heard from Azelma as she disappeared into dark small room.

They walked out from that horrible house. Enjolras only now realized blood, which was slowly running down her face. It was dry on same places already. He wanted to speak but she shushed hi almost immediately. "We must get away first,"she said and that was all. He didn't get anything else from her till they were walking.  
"_But be careful with her. Even she has her limits,_"he heard Fantine's voice once again. He felt like she was still looking at them. Like she was still helping him. Like she was still there beside him even if he couldn't saw her.

Éponine stopped suddenly. "Are you alright?" he asked her. She nodded and continued but more slowly than before.  
They finally stopped under the same tree as last night. She sat down and said: "I think, that Azelma told you something about our family situation. I know you wanted to know more and it's same with me but I want to know more about you. I will give you answers to all of your questions today in exchange for your answers to my questions. Agreed?"she asked him and she stretched her hand to him. He looked at her and then he shook her hand carefully.

"Agreed."

* * *

A/N  
Chapter five tomorrow. I've got work today so I would not be able to write it. But I'll find some time in the evening.  
Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N

Chapter 5 here! Thank you for reading this story.  
As I was looking on number of views and visitors and I realized something. Chapter 2 had less visitors than Chapter 3. Now who skipped it? :D  
I've gotten a new "Favorite Story"! Second in order thanks to ThePerfectMess! :D  
I'm still without a review... Not that it would ever stop me from writing!  
Enjoy!  
(I'm sorry for my English once again)

_Italic: Only memory this time_

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

He squeezed her cold hand and his eyes met hers. She smiled at him slightly and he felt his blood rushing through his head. He released her hand from his grip and he lowered his head down. Her smile faded away slowly and once again, there was silence between them two. Seconds seemed like eternity for both of them. No one started. No one break that silence between them.

Éponine sighed and with that she finally broke silence which was getting uncomfortable for them both second by second.  
"Well, start then,"he heard her say. His head lifted up at sound of her voice. She was giving him chance to know her better. So why is he so afraid of asking?  
"I don't know. How your father became a drunkard?" he said first question which raced through his head. He regretted his words almost immediately when he saw her facial expression. "Not good theme,"he thought to himself.

"If you don't want to answer, then don't."  
She looked up to him shooking her head. "It's not that I don't want to answer... It's just... Well, it all started when I was really young. Maybe eight or nine. I was a brat then. I didn't care for anybody and anything except for me. How blind I was.  
My eyes have opened after one girl which was living with us left. Her name was Cosette. I was terrible to her,"she spoke and Enjolras thought silently about her childhood.

That name, Cosette... He was sure that he heard it somewhere. Before his eyes appeared a vision of Marius. "Oh, so that's Cosette,"he said to himself as he remembered Marius' beloved. But then other idea came to his head.  
If Éponine knew about Cosette when she was delivering love letters from Marius to her it must have been torture for her. She was surely suffering when she saw, that Marius loved another girl. And he fell for a girl from Éponine's past. And although Éponine was terrible to her when she was younger, she delivered love notes between them. Everyone knows that she has feelings for Marius except for Marius himself. So, she was really dedicated to made him happy.

"My parents didn't treat her well and when she left, they threw her work on me and Azelma.  
You know, father once owned an inn. He was cheating people and pick-pocketing them secretly. He lost his inn because police come in and they discovered everything he stole from people. I never liked it when he did those things. But as time was floating it became his life style. Stealing, stealing and only stealing.  
He was in jail several times and he started with drinking here. When he came home from jail everything went upside down. I was only ten and Azelma was around eight then. My brother wasn't even six that time. It was time when mother cared for us at least. But years were coming and we found out that mother didn't care about us anymore. Father throw my brother into streets because he cost him more money we could afford but I'm helping him whenever I can.  
And when mother didn't care for us anymore then father put me in his schemes for robberies and that stupid things of his. I became a thief and I wasn't even twelve. He wanted to put Azelma in too but I stopped him. She's only pick-pocketing now, but I wish I can rip us somehow out of crime."  
"So that's a history of a miserable," Enjolras muttered under his breath thinking about that miserable man and children. Éponine was forced to steal and rob. She sacrificed herself for the sake of her siblings. She wanted them to have chance in life. He knew she really wanted to left her father and his wife but he understand she couldn't. How he wished that he could help her this time. How he wished to rip them out of misery.  
And here he was money less, homeless. At least he wasn't friendless anymore.

"Well, it's your turn to ask," he said to her excepting her voice to say something. She slowly nodded. She hesitated for a second and then the question left her lips. "How did you became... this?" he panicked. He didn't thought about that question. Truth be told, for few minutes he forgot how he looks like. What he became.  
His brain was forming a lie which could be believable enough. "I'm like this from my birth," he answered shortly and made painful expression to make her change topic. She could feel he was getting uncomfortable with talking about his look. But she wanted to know why his hair was almost white when he couldn't be more than twenty. But she decided that she won't make him suffer more. "If it makes you feel bad I won't ask this kind of questions, "she stated and when he nodded they were silent again.

"Well, your turn again," she said hesitantly. He didn't look at her. His eyes was observing morning sun which was rising. "Have you got some friends here?" he asked her with hope that he would hear something about Amis again.  
"Well I've got some friends here in poor quarters then in slums of Saint Michel. I was friend with revolutionaries too but after they crumbled it isn't what it was. You know, I don't want to spend time with students more than it's needed. It reminds me of someone," she said to him with little sadness in her voice.

"Who?" he asked her as he turned to her only to see that she was limping towards him. Blood dried on her face and her skin turned to red on places where her father hit her.  
"Hey! It's my turn!"she poked him with smile. "But okay, I'll tell you. It's their leader Enjolras. You know, he always seemed like someone who wouldn't give up till he wouldn't die or finish what he began. But I don't know. Maybe he had more important things to do. Maybe some family issues. Maybe he left because he understood that here is not a chance to win his war now," she sighed and she looked up to the sun. Her left eye was swelling a little.  
"Did you like him?"he continued still observing her. "You won't stop with that questions will you? It was my turn again!" she said with slight laugh but he knew she's going to tell him. "Well, I might have some secret feelings for him but he won't open to me or to anyone else. As his friend once told, he was like a marble statue," she said to him and she fell silent once again. "Grantaire," he remembered in his head. But then there was other thought.

"She might have liked me!" he said in his head in joy. "But again, you're not who you were," he muttered under his breath.  
But she was in love with Marius wasn't she? Or was he wrong? Were all of them wrong about her? He must ask her somehow about it. But how?  
"Well, any other love interest around here?"he asked her with hope that she wouldn't notice his burning ears. She laughed to herself and she began: "I had feelings for another one of the revolutionaries but he fell in love with another. I've moved on," she said and she looked exactly in his eyes. "Now you owe me four questions! So let's get started." He didn't get a chance to think about her answer. She was already asking him.

"Have you got any family?" he was glad for this question. He didn't even need to lie. "Well, yes but father disowned me. My mother was sending me money secretly before I ended up on streets," he said and he sat under the old tree. His head fell down as he remembered events of the night five years before. Soon his eyes were filled with vision.

* * *

_"You. won't. go. anywhere!" angered voice of his father screamed. "You can't tell me what to do! It's my thing that I want leave, not yours!"he said to him without caring. "Son, listen. You can have wonderful future and I'll get you a wonderful wife too. You can't leave us!" his father stated and he get a glass of water to him.  
"I'll leave and you won't even find out when!" Enjolras said and he began to walk to the front door. "Well if you'll cross that door you wouldn't be my son anymore,"his father said silently._

Only now Enjolras heard in that voice pure sadness and sorrow.

_"I don't care!" _he heard his voice said but now it wasn't his soul saying it._ "Well son, good luck," his father said as he turned around and walked out of the room where they were. Enjolras saw himself as he without any second glare walked through the door with only letter in his hand. He closed that door and he placed letter before them and put stone on it so it wouldn't fly away. He disappeared into fog as well as his right to call his father by that couldn't call him father anymore._

* * *

"Are you alright? You seemed light you weren't here for a second," her voice ripped him out from his memories. He turned quickly to her and he nodded. "Yeah, just something in my mind,"he said and he looked on his scarred hands. So that's price for the pain he brought to his parents. To his friends. To her. He stood up and asked her: "What will be your next question?" She was walking beside him.  
"I think it's enough for today. Come, I'll get us some breakfast," she slipped through the hole in fence. He was following her as lost puppy. He still didn't understand how she could live in here with knowledge of all alleys and lanes. "Stay here. Don't make anything stupid,"she said to him as she walked into the long crowd of people. His eyes followed her for a few seconds and then she disappeared into that mass of people.

People were still looking at him strangely but he was getting used to it. He ignored their looks, their whispering.

He was waiting for her and she wasn't coming. It must have been fifteen minutes after she appeared from behind him and she grabbed his wrist.  
"We must go. Now!" she said as she was walking through the alleys fast.  
"What's going on? Any problems?"he asked her. She didn't answer him straight away. As they were walking she said: "It's nothing you should worry about." And it told him to worry a lot. Her expression didn't seem like everything was fine.

"What's wrong, tell me? You can trust me," he told her as he was following her through some square. She stopped suddenly and she backed. "We must go other way. I'll tell you everything in time,"she said quickly and she was now running in other direction.  
He was surprised how quickly she recovered from her pain. He was sure that he would be lying on bed for at least one day.

She stopped before one stone bridge.  
"Come!"she said as she was climbing through the wall which served as barrier from river. He lost sigh of her after she jumped. It might have been around four meters high. "Things I do," he thought and jumped too. He fell on his feet and his eyes were searching for her already. She was sitting under the bridge. He walked to her and he sat near her.  
"What was that?"he asked her. Her head turned to him. He could saw that she was tired. "You wanted to know how to survive. Well, take it as running from police,"she said to him.  
Her breathing was unsteady. She looked really pale. But he didn't say anything about it. Yes, he was worried but he also knew that she'll tell him it's okay.  
Instead of that he said: "But we weren't running from police were we?" She sighed. "You must always find some way to get answer from me mustn't you? It was members of Patron Minette,"she said to him, fear still in her eyes. "Patron Minette?" he asked her. It sounded familiar to him. "Father's gang," she explained quietly. Then it hit him. Patron Minette was bunch of thieves and murderers. They were quite known in Paris for their crimes. "But what they wanted with us?" he asked her. She looked up to him. "Do you know who their leader is? I told you that already," she said. In his head slowly appeared a name of their leader. Thenárdier.  
"She said that it's gang of her father," his eyes widened. "Your surname... It's Thenárdier!"he said. She nodded quietly. "Now you know that I'm daughter of one of the most wanted thief in Paris,"she sighed. "But you're not bad like him,"Enjolras said because he didn't want her to think about it. But he was wrong. "How do you know for sure? You don't know about things I did. Which things I regret. That I'm part of his gang too," she said with sadness in her voice.  
"Maybe you did wrong but you regret it. You were forced to be part of his gang. You can't blame yourself for mistakes of your father," he was trying to explain her somehow that she isn't responsible for the crimes of her father. She shook her head. They were silent once again. "But what did they want?" he changed a topic. "They wanted me. I hurt Motnparnasse yesterday night. They want a revenge,"she said to him silently.

She shoved her hand into her pocket and handed him an apple from her coat.  
He was looking on apple in his hands. He grab it with all his strength and he divided it in two parts. He handed her one half but she shook her head.  
"Eat it,"she said simply. "You'll eat this half or I'll make you eat it whole and you'll have to steal another for me,"he said with pretended sternness. She smiled and took that apple from him. "How did you know I steal it? What if I have bought it?"she said with smile which didn't left her lips. "I suppose that you've stolen it because there wasn't any shop around there,"he said triumphantly.  
"But I was away at least fifteen minutes. What if I bought it properly in shop you didn't see?"she said and she started to eat. "Not with Patron Minette at your feet,"he smiled at her and she finally gave up. "Okay you win this time," she said and she smiled at him. "I'll get you whenever," he said and smiled as well. There was silence between them but it was a friendly one. Their first friendly silence under the stone bridge in trying to escape from Patron Minette.

They were sitting like this and eating their half of apple. He ate his half and he was looking on stones above him. After maybe ten minutes he realized that she was falling asleep.  
He was looking at her. No. Staring would fit it better. There was blood in her auburn hair which were falling down into her face. He wanted to take them and get them behind her ear. He wanted only to touch her skin but he was too afraid of waking her up.  
"It must be terrible to be haunted by life even in her sleep," he thought to himself as she murmured something.  
Her eyes shot open. She was looking around disoriented. Her eyes found his and she seemed to calm down a little. But then she stood up sharply which she regretted almost immediately. She gasped for air as pain hit her. He jumped to her ready to catch her if she would fall.  
"Just a broken rib,"she said through her clenched teeth. If he would be in his old self he would bring her to Joly. But he wasn't in his old self.  
She took one deep breath and then she asked him: "Why did you let me fall asleep? How long have I been sleeping?"she asked him. He could feel anger in her voice but he didn't know if she was angry with him for letting her fall asleep or with herself for falling asleep in the morning. Or maybe both.  
"Well, you seemed tired so I let you sleep. But you didn't sleep more than twenty minutes," he answered. He couldn't tell what was racing through her head but she turned to him and told: "Come, someone is waiting for us. And I have that thought that he would be waiting for a little longer than I planned."  
She immediately started to climbing the wall. Enjolras was afraid that she'll fall down in her state but she did it to above. "What are you waiting for?"she asked him. He made that strange expression of his and she sighed.

"Don't tell me that you don't know how to climb through this wall."

* * *

A/N  
Chapter 6 soon!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N  
Chapter 6! Longer chapter finally! Also the last chapter till I come home from Prague. I'll return on Friday. Just letting you know. :)  
Also I'd like to thank you, who are still reading this. ( And suffering my English)  
New followers here! Thank you Enjonine-is-my-fandom! And ssg38!  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

"Well, I didn't live on streets. What would you except from me?" he asked her as he jumped on the wall only to find himself back on the ground again.  
"Why don't you walk up the stairs then?"she asked him pointing on stairs maybe ten yards away. "You knew about them?" he asked her suspiciously. "Maybe," she laughed. "Then why did you climb that wall up?"he asked her walking to stairs slowly. "I wanted to see you climbing," she said. He stopped and looked at her. "You noticed them only now, don't you?"he asked her and he walked up the stairs. "You revealed me,"she sighed and they both laughed.

"Where are we going?"he asked when they were walking again. "To see some friends of mine. Maybe we'll learn you how to steal but I don't know yet," she answered to him.  
People were watching them as they walked through the streets of Paris. They were a strange pair.A monster and a gamine. Enjolras sighed as he saw her climbing through some old brick fence. Soon she was behind it. She was looking at him from holes which were in it. He made his strange look again and he didn't stop with staring at her. Why is she doing this to him?  
"What?! You must learn it somehow!"she said to him and now he understood.  
She wasn't doing him wrong, she was trying to taught him how to survive and he didn't notice it.  
He jumped onto wall and his legs were trying to find some support. His arms trembled slightly but he was climbing that wall with all his resolution. His hands found the edge of fence and he pulled himself up. She was still looking at him and he couldn't help it but he gave her a look too. He jumped down.  
"Satisfied?"he asked her provocatively. She smiled at him and she said: "It wasn't worst. I saw worse package of potatoes climbing up the wall," she said and then she disappeared.  
"Oh, not again!" he sighed and he run up to catch her .

They reached slums of Saint Michel soon. She was leading him exactly to the Elephant. He didn't ask her a question he only followed her. Just before they would reach Elephant she turned to him and said: "Prepare yourself for this. They're only boys and who knows how they'll react to you at first, but I'm sure they would be friends with you later." He just nodded. It was nice of her to tell him this. He was excepting boys to appear now but Éponine was still leading him under the Elephant.  
"Gavroche!" he heard her shout. So Gavroche was friend with her! He should notice that. But he didn't understand why would Éponine help these boys. She's got enough of her problems and yet she helped them.  
He was looking around him but boy didn't appear. "Gavroche come down please!" she shouted again. He saw Gavroche climbing down and he felt guilty inside him grow.  
He didn't want to invite Gavroche between Amis because he was just a child. But Gavroche told him that he can't forbid him to be in Café and he was on all meetings. He was sitting with Grantaire or with Éponine. How blind he was to not realize that they were friends.  
"Hi 'Ponine, who's this? And what happened to you? He again?" he asked her when he saw her swelling eye and bruises on her face. He was staring at Enjorlas for a few seconds. Then his look was again on Éponine.  
"It was father. Nothing you should worry about," she said to him. Then she pointed on Enjolras. "His name is Philip. He helped me yesterday. He's new to the streets and I thought that you can learn him something about stealing," she stated and smiled on Gavroche. "Sure. I'm Gavroche. You know you're looking snazzy?"he asked Enjolras.  
"Gavroche!" Éponine said to him and she gave him a warning look. But Enjolras just smiled. He knew Gavroche. He was used to his teasing. "It's alright," he laughed and he stretched a hand to boy. "I'm Philip and I think I'll like you," he said as Gavroche squeezed his hand.  
"So I'll leave you now boys. Much work to do today,"she said and she disappeared into streets.

Gavroche sighed.  
"What?" Enjolras asked him carefully. Gavroche looked up to him and shook his head slightly. "I don't know. She just takes too much to handle even for her. She's got me, Azelma and other boys to take care of. She's helping you to survive and she's day by day used by our father. I don't know how long she will last if it goes like this," Gavroche said silently to him.  
Enjolras was listening to him but something didn't fit in his brain. Something that Gavroche said. _She's helping you to survive and she's day by day used by our father. _Our father? Did he misheard Gavroche?  
"You said "our father" before?" Enjolras asked him still confused. Gavroche nodded surprised. "She didn't tell you? I thought she did but never mind. We're siblings if that's what you want to know," he said.

There was complete mess in Enjolras' head. First he learned that Éponine has siblings. Then he learned about her abuse and her surname. And then he learned that she's friend with boys which were living in Elephant. And now he knows that one of boys was his friend too and that this boy is her brother. Well, he must prepare for a headache tomorrow.  
"How long do you know her? Because if you would do anything to her I swear I'll get Patron Minette on you," Gavroche said to him more like joke but Enjolras decided that he will take it as warning too. He answered his question: "I don't know her for long. We've met only yesterday." He saw Gavroche's eyes widened. Gavroche was surely surprised. "Wait, my sister knows you only for one day and she trusted you enough to bring you here. You must be special," Gavroche said and whistled silently. "What do you mean by this?" Enjolras asked. Gavroche smiled at him. "You should know, that my sister doesn't trust strangers. And you must be special when she trusts you after one day. She wouldn't bring you here if she wouldn't trust you enough. She's always careful around new people," Gavroche said and Enjolras finally understand what her younger brother wanted to say. "Well, maybe it's just pity," Enjolras told him but Gavroche shook his head. "I can see in her eyes that she takes you as friend already. Are you a magician or what?" Gavroche smiled and he waited for Enjolras to respond. Enjolras shook his hand but he was deeply in his thoughts.  
There's a chance! She takes him as friend! She trusts him! Enjolras felt like he could fly that moment.  
"Ehm, Philip? Are you here?" Gavroche asked him. Enjorlas almost jumped. He looked at Gavroche and said: "Sorry, what did you say?" "I was telling you that I'll call other boys and we'll learn you how to pickpocket. But you seemed like you weren't here," Gavroche said. Enjolras nodded. "Sorry."

"Boys! Come here!"  
Soon there was six boys around Enjolras. They were looking at him and they were whispering something about him. "Boys, listen! We've got a task. We must learn Philip here, how to steal. So let's get started!" Gavroche told to his friends and Enjolras soon find himself in empty alley. Gavroche was beside him and his friends were around them.  
"Charlie get that old coat which we were using for practice. Don't worry Phil, I'll show you everything,"Gavroche told him using new nickname in that sentence. Enjolras sighed. "It is really necessary to call me by nicknames?"he asked Gavroche desperately.  
A few months before Gavroche was sitting with Grantaire at one table and they were making a list of his nicknames. Enjolras still remembered few of them: Enjy, Enj, Apollo, Stone, Statue, Speech or Patria. He laughed to himself at memory of them. "Well, it is necessary because you have such a long name,"Gavroche told him and he lead him to Charlie. "If Gavroche isn't longer..." Enjolras started but his sentence became untold. He was looking at young boy which was wearing old tattered coat. It was older and more tattered than Éponine's. "You'll steal from that coat. Point is that we can't feel you or see you. I'll show you how to do it first," Gavroche said. He slowly came to Charlie.  
"You must be quick. Your fingers light. You just lift that pocket like this," Gavroche was explaining to him, "and you pick out wallet or watches or money." Gavroche ducked and he picked few stones from ground. "It's easy. You'll need little training first but then you'll get it. You'll train with these stones. So Phil, let's get started."  
All afternoon was about Enjolras' training. His first attempts didn't end up well and he would be certainly caught but after few hours he get a point.

Clocks struck one and Éponine appeared in alley. Gavroche noticed her as first and he was running to her. When Enjolras turned he understood why. Her face was covered in blood mostly from ugly looking wound on her forehead.  
" 'Ponine are you alright? Who did this? Éponine, say something!" Gavroche was shouting after her. Enjolras quickly came to them. "Don't shout at her. She's in shock," he told Gavroche and he turned to Éponine. He grabbed her shoulders and looked in her eyes.  
"Éponine, do you hear me?" he asked her carefully. Her eyes moved to him slowly. "I'll be alright," he heard her said as she fell into his arms. He caught her and he sat her against the wall. He knew that head wounds were dangerous. And there wasn't only one wound on her head. "Éponine, can you tell me, what happened?" he asked her slowly. "They... they got their revenge,"she whispered. His eyes widened. "I wasn't fast enough. They spot me. But I escaped them though," she said painfully. "What hurts most?" Enjolras asked her and was trying wipe the blood away. Her face twisted in pain but she let him to do it. "Only head. They didn't hit me anywhere else," she said and she was trying to stood up with wall as her support but Enjolras pushed her down lightly. "Don't move," he said to her and he touched her forehead. "You've got a fever," he stated. She nodded and then said: "I'll be alright. Don't worry but now I must go and get some money or father would beat me to death," she said and again she attempted to stood up.  
Enjrolas sighed and helped her. "Oh, I almost forgot why I came here,"she said and she handed every boy one apple. She was about to give one to Enjorlas too but he stopped her. "Keep it for you,"he said to her. She shook her head. She was really tired from what he could see. "I don't want to argue with you about it now. Take it or I'll give it to boys,"she said to him. He could feel tiredness in her voice. He slowly took that apple from her hand. "Be careful," he said to her and she smiled. "I'll try," she answered and then she disappeared from his sight.  
"She's still that stubborn Éponine I have known,"he smiled to himself.

"Well, that was something," he heard Gavroche said. "What?" Enjolras asked him. He heard this tone earlier today. "You know about each other for one day and you're acting like you have known for years!" Gavroche said and he turned to boys.  
"Enough of that for today. Have fun boys,"he said and then turned back to Enjolras. "Are you doctor?" he asked him quickly. Enjolras was surprised by this question. "No, I am not. Why are you asking?"  
"Because you were acting like a professional with my sister. There is not much people who knows how to take care of wounded or sick," Gavroche told him and he waved to one of the boys. "It's just an instinct," he lied to him. He didn't want tell Gavroche, that he was student and he knew basics of medicine. Maybe he wouldn't believe him. A cripple student. That would be something.  
"Do you think that she'll be alright?" Gavroche asked him with worry. Enjolras sighed. "I don't know. If she would rest for a few hours she would feel better. But when she's still running somewhere I don't know really. Head injuries are dangerous," he told to Gavroche. Gavroche nodded. He knew his sister. He knew that she's too stubborn to listen to him or to Philip.  
Gavroche looked up to his friend. "Well, I must tell you are a quick learner. You'll be a good thief once," Gavroche smiled at him. Then he turned around and he was walking out of alley. "Come!" Gavroche shouted at him. And Enjolras found himself following small boy through the full streets. "Where are we going?"Enjolras asked him. "You'll see!" Gavroche answered in hurry.  
Gavroche stopped in some familiar alleyway. Enjolras didn't think about his ability to memorize this maze. Éponine showed him already that they know about every alley and every secret passage. "Why did you stopped?"Enjolras asked him. "Because we're about to walk in one place. I and 'Ponine found it when we were running from police once and it's special to us. Take it as honor to walk in,"Gavroche laughed and he lead Enjolras in.  
Enjolras recognized that place immediately. It was the place where Éponine took him yesterday night and this morning too. "You aren't surprised. Were you here before?" Gavroche asked him. "Your sister took me here already. It was yesterday and this morning too," he said to Gavroche.  
"Hey! 'Ponine took you here?! And she didn't know you a day?" Gavroche said loudly. His blue eyes were getting bigger and bigger. "Yeah, is it wrong?" Enjolras asked him with worry. He didn't know if he told right thing to boy. "Wow,"Gavroche said. "Just wow,"boy murmured under his breath. "What?"Enjolras asked him. "I just can't believe, that she would show this place to a random stranger," Gavroche shook with his head.  
"I wasn't random stranger. We knew each others names and I helped her!" Enjorlas said to him maybe more fast as he should. Gavroche looked at him. He looked exactly in his eyes. "You like her don't you?" Gavroche asked. Enjorlas' face was burning. He felt like he will explode in any second. "C'mon, you can trust me,"Gavroche said waiting for his respond.

"Yes."

"Yes like you can trust me or you like her?" Gavroche laughed.  
Enjolras closed his eyes and shook with his head. "I like her but she will not like me. Never. No one can like monster like me,"he said as his hand hit old tree. Gavroche was silent. He wanted only to tease he didn't except to end it up like this. "Would it be surprise if I tell you that she might like you already?"Gavroche said to him after some time. Enjolras' head lifted up and he turned to Gavroche.  
"How do you know? How could you know?" Enjolras asked him. It was too much on him. Pain which he was holding inside him was finally released. He sat down and he buried his scarred hand into his ugly white hair. He was monster. How could he nor realized it all the time? How could he ignore the fact that he was a human oddity? He don't need to hear things which won't come true.  
"I saw how she acts towards you. She cares for you like for me or Azelma," Gavroche said but Enjolras only stood up. "Don't tell me those things! Don't lie to me!" Enjolras screamed in despair and he fell on his knees. They fell silent. Everything around fell silent.

They don't know how much time passed when Éponine appeared. Enjolras didn't even registered her. She gave a look to Gavroche but he shrugged. She showed him to leave them alone and Gavroche wasn't in mood to oppose her.  
She slowly walked to Enjolras and knelt before him.  
"Philip," she spoke to him silently. He didn't even moved his head. "Philip, what's wrong?" she asked him but he didn't respond. "Philip please, look at me," she said. His eyes hesitantly meet hers. He was scarred that he would find there anger or contempt. But non of this were in her brown orbs. He could find only worry.  
"Oh, how bad I am! I thought about her badly before I even looked on her!" he said to himself in his mind.  
"What happened?"she asked him slowly. Tears were forming in his eyes but he didn't want to release them. Not before her. But emotions were stronger than his will. Soon tears were running down his face. He wanted to wipe them but she stopped him. "Cry as much as you need. Don't stop yourself just because of me. Everyone cries when it is too much to handle," she said to him. He felt as something warm surrounded his heart.  
"You don't," he said to her tears still falling down from his eyes. "Look Philip I'm not as strong as you imagine me. I was crying today. I was crying yesterday. And I'm sure I will cry tomorrow. It's not about strength. It just helps to empty your head and it makes you feel better when you can't hold your emotions any longer."  
Now he found out how strong she really is. He couldn't imagine the hell through which she got. That pain she felt.  
He looked at her and she smiled at him. He couldn't help but smiled as well. "Thank you," he mouthed to her and she nodded.

"What happened?" she asked him after few seconds of silence. He sighed. "When Gavroche was speaking one thought flew through me. It's not that he said anything bad. I just overreacted," he said to her. His head lowered. He felt shame inside him like a knife.  
Then she did something he wouldn't except. She hugged him. Hesitantly but she did it. And he was kneeling there without any thought how react. He was like statue. Cold still statue. He felt her warm hands on his back. There they was. Still cold mutated man with young exhausted girl.  
"All of us make mistakes,"she said and she went back. He missed her warm. "Thank you," he said aloud this time. She smiled and revealed her dimples. Then she stood up. He followed shortly after her.

"How did you find us?" Enjolras changed topic. He couldn't allow himself to think about her kindness. About her dedication.  
"I have met Charlie and he told me which way you go. I found you two then,"she said. "What time it is?"he asked her as they were walking to the slums. "Something around three I think."

Gavroche was sitting before Elephant waiting for them surely. As soon as he realized them he stood up and started to walk towards them. "I'm sorry Phil! I really am!" Gavroche begged towards Enjolras. Enjolras smiled. "I should be the one to be sorry. It's alright Gavroche, I overreacted," he said to boy. Gavroche gave him a big smile and then they sat on small wall and just talked.  
"How about Philip's stealing ability?"she poked Gavroche. He poked her back and all of them laughed. "He wasn't bad but...it's still far far away from good," Gavroche teased. "But he should be able to pickpocket now," he added to Éponine.  
"So, what are we going to do now?" Gavroche asked. "I and Philip should be going now. I must find him another place for the night because it's too dangerous to stay in parent's house,"she said and she jumped down from that wall.  
"Bye 'Ponine, bye Phil!" Gavroche shouted at them. "New nickname?" she asked him. "Yes, I don't know why he needs to call everyone by nickname!"he told her and they were walking while sun was still quite high on sky. "So, where are we going to?" he asked her after some time.  
She lifted her head up and she answered: "I'm going to see, if I can find you a place where you can sleep. You can use your new abilities if you want. It will take some time," she told him. "How are you going to find me then?" he asked her. "Be only on this street. If it is necessary go to some alley but remember which way you went. If you will get lost meet me before Elephant in seven," she said and she disappeared.

"Well, let's see what I can do with that pick-pocketing now."

* * *

A/N  
*Hiding from Grammar Nazis*  
(While I was writing this I find big amount of problems with that chapter. Thank you Google Translate!)


	7. Chapter 7

A/N  
Chapter 7! I also fixed Enjolras name in previous chapters. Thanks for reading.  
Thanks for reviews too. It make me feel better and they helped me a lot.  
RazMaster, thank you for clicking on "Favorite"! And unicorn24601 thanks for following and for your review too. I wouldn't notice that I wrote Enjolras' name wrong without your help.  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

Enjolras was looking on people around him. He was choosing a target. A rich target.  
There was a really fat man walking down the streets. His clothes were brand new and he was quite old too.

Ideal.

Enjolras remembered on everything Gavroche and boys taught him. He took a deep breath.  
Few months before he wouldn't even think about stealing. But times have changed.  
He walked near that man. His eyes chose one of his pocket quickly. The one which looked most filled. He was carefully approaching the man. Pocket was on his reach now. His hand quickly shot into pocket. He lifted the pocket with other hand and his fingers found a wallet. It was less than two seconds and wallet was in Enjolras back pocket on his tattered trousers now.  
But as the man was walking he noticed that something was missing.  
Enjolras froze. Instead of walking away he just froze, eyes filled in horror. Fat man touched his pocket. He turned around his eyes soon found Enjolras which was still like marble statue.  
That look made him to move. He was about to run, when someone caught him from behind.  
"What do we have here?" he heard a man from behind him said.  
"Thank God Inspector! He stole my wallet!" fat man said and he approached Enjolras. Enjolras eyes widened when he heard that. He was in problem. Big Problem.  
"Worms and maggots," Inspector said, "everything they ever do are problems." Enjolras was trying to get out from Inspector's grip but he didn't succeed. He was hit on head and Inspector turned him that they could see to each others eyes. "First real stealing in my life and I get caught!" Enjolras told to himself in his mind.  
"Now, where is the wallet you stole from Monsieur here, cripple?" Inspector asked and his grip tightened. Enjolras didn't know what to do. What to say. He was left speechless. People were coming to see what's going on and they were shouting at Enjolras.  
"Talk!" Inspector shook him angrily. "You are a waste of time. You'll end up in jail one way or another. So you can give me that wallet willingly or I will take it forcefully," Inspector said and he gave a disguised look to Enjolras.

"He didn't do it,"a voice appeared from behind them.  
"What?" Inspector said and Enjolras was about to said that question too but he stopped himself. Grip around his arms was released.  
"I did it," a voice which sounds familiarly said. He soon spotted her.  
"No! She cannot do this. She cannot,"he said in his head desperately. She approached them and gave a wallet to Inspector. "How?!" Enjolras thought when he didn't feel anything in his back pocket. She had to steal what he stole earlier. And only to save him from jail. Why is she doing this? She don't know him that long! And she shouldn't be here! He can't allow her to do it.  
"No!" he whispered to himself. Inspector threw Enjolras on cold pavement. People were jumping away from him as far as they could.  
He was looking as Inspector tied her hands more tightly than he should. She didn't scream. Not a voice escaped from her lips. Then Inspector grabbed her and threw her before him, so he could keep an eye on her. He gave fat man back his wallet.  
Enjolras watched in horror, still sitting on pavement as that fat man spat on her. Fury was slowly rising inside him. He could allow them to spat at him but not at her. She don't deserve it. He was about to jump on fat man but he caught her disapproving look. She was right again. Her sacrifice would be good for nothing if he would get arrested anyway. He held himself but that didn't prevent him from thinking about it. When she was walking around him, with her head bowed she said: "Take care of Gavroche and Azelma."  
Then she disappeared into crowd of people which were shouting and spatting on her. He get her into jail. He get Éponine into jail.

"What have I done?" he stood up and walked to nearer wall. "What have I done to her?!" he whispered and he hit that wall with all his strength. He was looking as blood was slowly running down his hand. He didn't wipe it. He didn't do anything to stop his fist from bleeding. His head lifted up to sky. "God, why?"he said silently and then he hit that wall again. And again. And again.  
He fell on ground and he sat against the wall. He didn't realize that someone sat next to him.  
"Well, you won't help her with sitting here," he heard woman's voice said. He turned to her. She was around her fifties. Poor, by look but she was quite fat. Her ginger hair were complete mess and she wasn't looking on him.  
"Who are you?" he asked her silently. She laughed to herself.  
"Her mother," her answer surprised him. He imagined her ... well,... differently. Like some strict and furious woman... Well, she looked really differently.  
"I saw everything. I knew she hadn't got a scrap of brain but this? Getting into jail instead of you?" she asked again more to herself.  
"I'm sorry," he said. He didn't say anything about her remark on Éponine. He wasn't in mood to oppose her or to anybody. He was lost in his own world of guilty.  
"You're sorry. What's that gonna buy? She was bringing money home. And now? We will live only on water and some old bread," she said to him angrily.  
"Is she really good to you only when you need her?" he asked angrily too. His moods were changing second by second now. He didn't know what would he do in another moment.  
She gave him strange look.  
"What... what did you mean by that?!" she asked him with something he couldn't recognize in her voice. Something old and forgotten.  
"I meant that you don't care for your children. You don't care for little Gavroche nor for Azelma and exactly not for Éponine. They became independent long time ago! And you don't care if they're sick, hurt or if they are alright. I was with Éponine today. She was getting you money and her state as you could saw was terrible! She's abused by Thenárdier and you don't care! You don't care that your husband is beating your own children!" he told her without any emotion.  
"Life isn't easy. They know it and they are doing what they have to do," her answer angered him. She really don't care.  
"But ask Gavroche about her. He helped his friends from prison before. He should be able to get Éponine out too. Well, take care of her. And be careful with her. I know her. She's strong, stupid and fearless but she has her limits too. And if you won't, I'll find you and you'll have to bring money to me instead of her," she said to him silently and then she left him.  
"Maybe she care a little after all," he thought to himself and he buried his hands into his hair. He should really ask Gavroche for help. Gavroche will know what to do.

Enjolras looked on sun which lowered on sky. It's still time. He got up and sighed. This maze of Paris was still confusing for him. He was walking through the streets and then he finally spotted familiar buildings.  
Soon Elephant appeared and he knew he's on right place. He was walking to Elephant, his heart clamped in fear. What'll Gavroche say to him? Would he feel anger towards him for his inability?  
He found himself under the Elephant torn between staying and running away. Problem solved by itself when Gavroche spotted him and he was climbing down to Enjolras. "Philip, what happened?" he asked him with worry. "I... uhm... I get your sister in jail," he said to him as fast as he could. Gavroche's eyes widened.  
"What?! She trusted you! I trusted you! And you get her to jail?" Gavroche screamed loudly. People walking around turned their heads to them but they continued their way. "Let me explain," Enjolras pleaded him silently. "You have to explain it to me! So?"Gavroche asked anger burning in his eyes.  
Enjolras sat down desperately. "Well,... I was stealing... trying to steal a wallet. But that man... He noticed that wallet was missing. Inspector appeared... She took that wallet... And he arrested her," he said in despair. "Wait, slow down. You want to say that you were trying to steal a wallet from some man. That man noticed that wallet was missing and he spotted you. He called for Inspector and 'Ponine took that wallet from you so he arrested her?" Gavroche asked him with spark of anger reminding in his voice. "Something like that," Enjolras said silently. He couldn't find strength to tell him how it really happened. Gavroche get a point so why should he talk about details?  
"Well, you've got us in pretty big problem," Gavroche said as he was walking from one side to another. "She'll answer to the court tomorrow. Or the other day. We must get her out before court will start. This night is best. But we don't know where she is now or where will the court take place," Gavroche was talking aloud to himself. They were silent. Gavroche was thinking how to get Éponine out of jail and Enjolras was thinking about his stupid mistake again and again.

"That Inspector!" Gavroche almost shouted making Enjolras jump. "What does he looks like?"Gavroche asked him. "It's Javert," Enjolras told him. He recognized Javert. Éponine saved him from him once.  
"That makes everything more easier. Javert has this parts under his control so he probably took her to local jail. And that's not good," Gavroche said. Enjolras didn't respond. He was just listening. Listening and thinking.  
"Well, we should go now. Sun is lower now and soon it will be night. And we still must find her. I hope we won't be late," Gavroche said to him and he patted him on back. "C'mon," he was already walking. Enjolras stood and followed Gavroche slowly. "We must go faster. God knows what are they doing to her right now!" Gavroche said and Enjolras only now realized his words. He was following Gavroche as fast as he could. He couldn't let happen anything to her!  
Gavroche slowed down and turned to Enjolras. "Be as quiet as you can."

* * *

They were walking to jail which Gavroche thought was the place where Éponine was. They climbed up the wall and they were slowly sneaking through yard. "I hope that there aren't dogs," Enjolras whispered. Gavroche stopped himself. "Pray to God that they are not," he said and then they continued.  
Gavroche stopped in front of cell window. "How are we going to find out where she is?" Enjolras asked him. "It has its rules. I think that she'll be in one on the other side of building but there's my friend. I will ask him," Gavroche said and he turned to window. "Hey! Bill! are you here?" Gavroche asked silently. A face appeared in window.  
"Gavroche? What are you doing here? If 'Ponine would find out..." man inside said to Gavroche. " 'Ponine won't find out because she's probably here. Did you hear anything?" Gavroche asked him. Man coughed and then he answered: "I heard that some girl was placed here. Court is tomorrow. Maybe it's she. I wouldn't tell that she'll ever get caught."  
"Long story... Do you know where is she?" Gavroche asked and handed a loaf of bread to Bill.  
"Thanks kid. I'm not quite sure. Somewhere on the other side. Wait, I'll find out. Just give me a minute," Bill said and he returned to his cell.  
"How is he going to find out?" Enjolras whispered. "It's difficult. They've got signals between them. If I know right, it's about knocking. You'll get some stone or whatever and you knock those signals. Others then answer to you. But now be quiet. It's really difficult," Gavroche told to him and soon air was filled with knocking and tapping. Time was running and maybe after some seven minutes it was all silent again. Bill's face appeared in window once again. "Cell 183. It's on the other side of building fifth window from right," Bill said. "Thanks Bill. I hope that they'll release you soon,"Gavroche whispered and then he stood up. "If you take five years as soon then yes," Bill said and then his face faded.

Enjolras was following Gavroche in shadows. This jail was quite big. Maybe the biggest one in Paris. "First, second, third, fourth, fifth," Gavroche was counting silently. They stopped in front of same looking cell window as before. "Are you sure?" Enjolras whispered to Gavroche. Gavroche nodded and ducked. He was trying to see something in the darkness bellow but it was too dark to see a thing.  
" 'Ponine?" he asked silently. No response. " 'Ponine!" Gavroche said louder but it didn't work. "Give me some stones," he said to Enjorlas while he was still addressing Éponine. Enjolras handed him three rocks and he watched young boy.  
Gavroche threw first rock to cell. They heard sound of echoing as stone fell on floor."I didn't hit her," he heard Gavroche said. Boy was throwing another stone already. It ended up the same. Gavroche sighed and threw the last stone into cell. Now they heard soft murmuring.  
"'Ponine!" Gavroche said carefully. If it was she, she didn't respond. "'Ponine please, it's me... Gavroche!" he told her with fear in his voice. What if something was wrong? What if she got hurt? Or maybe she's just sleeping... Gavroche took another stone and threw it on same place as before. They heard her groan. Something was moving down bellow.  
" 'Vroche?" they were sure that it was her now. But she didn't sound well. "Yes 'Ponine. Are you alright?" Gavroche asked her.

Her pale face appeared in weak light of the moon. Her hand shoved through the grilles. They could see blood on it even in weak moonlight. Gavroche squeezed her hand a little but then she moved it back. "I'm too weak," they heard her whispering. "'Ponine! Is there any way out?" Gavroche asked her worry filling his voice. "I don't know," she coughed weakly. "Éponine, please! Try to think about something," Gavroche said to her slowly. "I... Try that grilles," she said silently. They heard a soft moan. She was certainly in pain. Gavroche was doing as he was told. He didn't understand why he didn't think about that certain thing earlier. Meanwhile Enjolras ducked to window. "Éponine," he started. "Philip? Is that... you?" she asked. "Yes. Are you hurt?" he was asking her while Gavroche was moving with grilles. "My older wounds have reopened. Officers did only some bruises though, nothing more. I've got strong headaches now," she told to him.  
"I've got it!" Gavroche said and he pulled out a rasp from somewhere. "There's a place which is weak enough," he stated and he started his work.  
"Éponine?" Enjolras asked her slowly.  
"Hmm?"  
"Why did you do it? Why did you save me?"  
"Because you'll suffer more here."  
"But you suffer instead of me."  
There was no respond from her. "'Ponine?" he addressed her. "Yeah?" her weak voice appeared again. "Why have you been there? You should be on your way to find some place for me to sleep in," he said and he felt really stupid. "I wanted to see... well, how good you are," she almost whispered now. "And why didn't I see you?"  
"Because I didn't want you to."  
All of them were silent and there was only sound of rasp around them. "Éponine?" Enjolras started again. She was silent. " 'Ponine?" he tried once again. He heard her moving. "I'm sorry, I'm tired. What was it?" she asked him.  
Her face appeared in window once again. Enjolras could saw dark circles around her eyes. "I just wanted to ask if you would forgive me..."  
"Forgive you what? It was my own decision."  
"But I was the one..."  
"Philip this is not your fault. I decided to take that wallet from you. It was my decision so don't blame yourself," her voice was stronger for a second and than it was again that weak voice.  
"I almost got it!" Gavroche said to them after few minutes of silent. "How long will it take you now?" Enjolras asked. "Maybe ten minutes more. This grilles are thin enough. I'll make it," Gavroche said but then his rasp broke.  
"Damn it!" Gavroche muttered to himself. Gavroche was prepared to hear familiar "Language Gavroche", but nothing came from cell.  
"And now?" Enjolras asked him looking onto grilles. "Try to rip it out. At least this one. But be quiet," Gavroche told to him and left the area before window. Enjolras took grille in his hands. He was trying with all his force. He was pulling it to all directions but grille didn't move a bit. He was becoming more furious by second. He grabbed that grille and pulled it once again. This time it moved. "Great! Once again!" Gavroche said. Enjolras took a deep breath and he pulled grille to him.  
It was ripped out with loud crash. They froze.  
"Get her. We must leave! Now!"Gavroche said in hurry.

Enjolras slipped through the hole and jumped down carefully. There was darkness all around him but he could saw her. Her eyes were closed but as he moved closer they opened. "Come, we must leave..." he whispered and helped her up. She just nodded and he was leading her to window. She was lifted up by Enjolras and Gavroche helped her to get through the hole and stand up.  
As Enjolras was getting out air was filled with barks. Angry barks. "Run!" Gavroche said and he was leading. Enjolras was helping Éponine. Gavroche wanted to get out the way they came. But they weren't so lucky. There was a guard walking towards them with candle in his hand. From the other side there was still barks which was getting closer. Gavroche looked around and he headed to fence.  
"We must climb it! Philip, help me up!" Gavroche said. Enjolras lifted him and Gavroche's hands grabbed the edge of fence. "Good, now 'Ponine. Quickly!" Gavroche said in rush. Philip looked on Éponine. She just nodded. He was about to lift her but she jumped already, so he just support her legs. Her face twisted in pain as she was climbing up. Gavroche helped her and she looked down at Enjolras.  
"Come!" Gavroche said. Light of candle was closer and they could saw fast moving shadows getting closer. Enjolras jumped but his foot skidded. He was about to fall.  
"Hey! Stop!" guard was shouting at them. Éponine's hand grabbed Enjolras' arm. He found his balance and quickly climbed up.

"Now we must be fast," Gavroche said as he jumped down. Enjolras was following him. Éponine jumped down as last. She tripped but Gavroche caught her before she could fell on ground. "Help her," he said to Enjolras. Enjolras quickly came to her side and he supported her.  
They were walking through dark streets of Paris. "We're gonna to Elephant," Gavroche stated. Éponine's body was too weak to do another step and she fell on her knees with silent moan. Enjolras leaned over her.  
"Are you alright?"he asked her. Gavroche came closer.  
"Yeah," she whispered and she stood up only to fell on ground again. Enjolras placed his hand on her arms.  
"I'll take you," he said and he lifted her up. She groaned softly and her eyes were closing.  
"To Elephant,"Gavroche repeated and he was walking before them. Her eyes shot open.  
"No! Home!" Éponine said as loud as she could. Gavroche turned immediately.  
"What? Why?" he asked her as he came closer. Éponine's head lifted and she looked into Gavroche's eyes.  
"Azelma," she whispered. Gavroche nodded quickly and looked up to Enjolras. "Take her to Elephant. I and Azelma will catch you later," he said to him and then he run into near alley.

Enjolras was walking with Éponine in his arms. She was light. Very light. He felt her weak breath on his shirt. Her eyes were closing once again. "Don't sleep now 'Ponine. Hold on," he said to her and he was deciding which way he should go. He felt her body move in his arms. "Left," she said silently. He looked on her. Her eyes met his. He quickly moved his look onto pavement and he go to left street.  
They were silent. Everything around were silent. Silent was broken only when Éponine coughed or moaned.  
Enjolras soon recognized streets around him. They entered the slums of Saint Michel when they heard fast steps behind them. Soon they heard loud breathing too. Enjolras turned and saw two figures. Gavroche and Azelma. They caught them and Azelma quickly walked to Éponine. Éponine smiled at her. Azelma squeezed her sister's hand and muttered something which Enjolras didn't understand. "Don't worry," he heard Éponine's weak response and they continued.

Soon Enjolras spotted Elephant and he knew they are safe. For now.

* * *

A/N  
Chapter 8 soon. School starts on Monday so updates will not be so regular. But I'll try to bring you at least two chapters a week. Again, sorry for my English. I hope that school will help me :)


	8. Chapter 8

A/N  
Chapter 8! There isn't much plot in it and still it is longest chapter of this story.  
Thanks everybody who's still reading this.  
Thanks new follower yellow111!  
Sorry for my English again.  
As I said, school starts on Monday for me, so there would be two or three chapters and then I won't be able to update regularly.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

They were walking towards Elephant silently. No one spoke until they reached small wall, on which they were sitting earlier. Then Gavroche turned to them and said: "I'm not sure if there would be enough place for everyone, but probably yes. But there's one problem. I don't know how to take Éponine up."  
"I'll climb up. That would be no problem," she said but everyone shook their heads. "Only through my corpse," Azelma said and gave a worried look to Éponine.  
"Look Éponine, you're weak and you won't make it up," Enjolras said to her. He met Éponine 's gaze which told him that she would make it.  
"I'll carry you," he said and looked at Gavroche. Gavroche nodded and started to climb the ladder up. Éponine just sighed and she get on the ground. She was about to fall because of her poor state but she was immediately caught by Enjolras.  
"Go first, I'll be under you if something would happen," Azelma said and she supported Éponine for few seconds while Enjolras observed the ladder. "You're really weak 'Ponine," she said to her older sister silently, "don't make it harder."  
Éponine's head lifted up slowly.  
"I won't," Éponine whispered and looked at Enjolras. He walked towards them and he get one of his hand on Éponine's back and the other one under her knees and he carefully lifted her up. "Sorry 'Ponine," he said as he moved her fragile body on his shoulder. He heard her breathed the air off her lunges but she didn't groan.  
Enjolras started with climbing the ladder up. Her body was tumbling but he didn't let her fall. Soon he heard Azelma below him.

"Be careful here," Éponine murmured and he saw, that ladder was damaged here. He slowly climbed damaged part of ladder and he continued. His breath was getting faster.  
"You're almost up," Éponine said to him. Enjolras looked up and he saw the top of the Elephant. He climbed up and slowly removed Éponine from his shoulder. He lied on his back to catch his breath. His breathing was faster but he was alright. Éponine was trying to stood up but she didn't do it before Azelma climbed up. Azelma quickly came to her side and braced her. " Why must you be so stubborn?" he heard Azelma said to her sister. He pushed himself up to find Éponine's body trembling. It was cold night but he didn't think it would be from cold. She must be exhausted. Or maybe it was combination of both feelings together.  
He quickly came to them and he helped Éponine from the other side. "Thanks," she muttered silently and her head lowered in exhaustion. Her eyes were closing even if she was standing. Gavroche's head appeared in hole and he was showing them to get in.  
Enjolras wasn't in Elephant before. It was rather dark place but boys had candles so the darkness wasn't so strong. Enjolras jumped in ready to catch Éponine.  
"Do you know there's a ladder again?" he heard her weak laughing. He smiled at her. "Stop talking and come here," he said to her as he realized that ladder. He moved to it and was watching as Éponine slowly descended down the ladder. He could saw her arms trembling.  
She suddenly stopped in the middle of the ladder. " 'Ponine! Are you alright?" Gavroche shouted on her. She didn't respond. She was still in the middle of the ladder.  
"Just a headache," she whispered before she collapsed. Her hands released the ladder and fell behind her back. Her legs soon followed them. Enjolras jumped to her and he caught her. Her eyes were closed. He quickly lied her down and he leaned over her to find out if she's breathing.  
Azelma got down and she knelt to her sister's side. "Is she alright?" Azelma asked Enjolras quickly. He waited for a while and then he nodded. Then Éponine coughed and her eyes opened a little. "Just a headache," she whispered. Azelma leaned over her and she hugged her.  
"Don''t do this again to me 'Ponine. Please, don't do this again," Azelma sobbed still embracing Éponine. Enjolras looked at Gavroche. Poor boy had tears in his eyes. Gavroche saw his look and he get closer to them. "You scared me to death 'Ponine. Don't you dare do this again," Gavroche said to her his eyes still filled with tears. Éponine's hand found his hair and made up pretty mess with them. "Don't worry," she said silently and she sat up. She was about to stand up too but Azelma pushed her down slightly. "You won't stand up till I would not allow that to you, do you understand?" she asked her sister with her hands on Éponine's arms.  
Enjolras was only watching. He was moved by how Éponine's siblings cared for her. How she cared for them. How this small family helped each other. He was watching as Éponine nodded but he could saw in her eyes that she would stand up whenever she will want to.

"Gavroche where can we place her?" Azelma turned to Gavroche which was wiping out tears from his face. He pointed on place in the corner. "All of you should stay there," he said and he walked to that place. Azelma looked at Enjolras.  
"Take her please," she said to him. He nodded and ducked to Éponine. She was looking at him dark circles still around her tired eyes.  
"You will sleep, just hold on" he said to her as he lifted her up gently. She didn't respond but her eyes lowered a little. "Just hold on for a minute now," he said as he was walking to place where Gavroche waited. He lied Éponine into old blankets slowly. He took one of them and covered her fragile body with it. "Sleep now 'Ponine," he said to her. She smiled slightly at him and her lips were moving but voice didn't come. Her eyes shut down and she fell asleep.  
He carefully placed his hand on her forehead. "She's almost burning," he said to two siblings which were standing behind him. "We'll need some cold water and rag or handkerchief," he turned to Gavroche. Young boy nodded and he disappeared. Other boys were sleeping, some of them woke up but they fell asleep when they were told that Éponine would be alright.

Only Azelma and Enjolras was left now. "What happened? Why was she in jail?" she asked him as she was sitting down. He sighed.  
"Well, she told me to wait on her. She also told me to try steal something. I stole a wallet but that man noticed it was missing and he spotted me. Javert appeared and he was about to arrest me, when she appeared and she took it on herself. I don't know how was she able to steal that wallet from me, but she gave it to Javert and he arrested her. I wish it could be differently...," he said to her with bowed head.  
He was expecting angered reaction but he heard only sigh. "She's always stubborn. She'll do it again if she would get chance. Don't blame yourself for that," she said to him and again she sighed. She came closer to Éponine and she touched her bruised face.  
"I wish I could prevent her from hurt and wounds. I wish she can have a better chance in life. But she always takes beatings for me. She always does dirty work instead of me. She's starving while I eat bread she had to steal for me. I'm horrible sister," she said with her head lowered. Her thumb was doing small circles on Éponine's cheek. Then she moved her hand back and she just watched her sister sleeping. Enjolras sat next to her.  
"You are not horrible sister. You're best sister Éponine could ever get. You care about her and you help her. As you say before she's stubborn. And she'll do that things again and again," he sighed too and looked on pale face of his friend. Éponine's chest was rising and falling slowly. She looked peacefully, smile didn't leaving her lips. They were waiting for Gavroche.  
They were just looking at her and thinking about her. Gavroche soon appeared with the things in his hands.  
"Here,"he whispered and handed them to Enjorlas, but Azelma took them. "Go sleep. I'll take care of her. You did enough today. Both of you," she said to them and she get closer to Éponine. She soaked the rag into the bowl of water. Enjolras was watching as she wiped Éponine's dirty face with it.  
The dirt was washed away and he could saw her face clearly for first time. He couldn't help it. He was thinking about her and she seemed... beautiful to him. More beautiful then any girl he ever met. More beautiful than his Patria.  
"Go sleep Philip. You need rest," Azelma ripped him out of his thoughts. He nodded and quickly lied into old blankets. Her face was haunting him even when he closed his eyes. Her peaceful bruised face with slight smile on her lips. No! She's his friend. He shouldn't think about her that way. He is monster. He should remember it. And with this he fell asleep.

* * *

Azelma spotted weak light getting through the holes in Elephant. It was morning finally.  
She didn't want to fall asleep but she woke up only few minutes before she realized the light. She wanted to slap herself. One night for her sister and she couldn't stay awake when Éponine was here for her in any time and anywhere. She sighed and placed her hand on Éponine's forehead just like Philip did. She was feeling that fever was weaker but it was still higher than temperature on her own forehead.  
"Oh, 'Ponine," she sighed as she wiped out drops of sweat from her face. Azelma looked around. Boys were still sleeping. She turned back and looked at Éponine. Her eyes were opened a little and she was looking exactly in her eyes.  
"Hi there, how are you feeling?" Azelma asked her and she wiped sweat which formed on her forehead again. Éponine closed her eyes and groaned slightly.  
"Better," she said with quite hoarse voice. Azelma looked on bowl filled with water. There wasn't any water near her so she took that bowl. "Are you thirsty?"she asked her before she get her the water. Éponine nodded and she was looking on bowl now. She sat up and took it with her shaking hands. She drank from it and than she handed it back to Azelma.  
"Thanks," she said to Azelma quietly. Azelma nodded and they were silent.  
A loud yawn echoed the Elephant when Gavroche woke up. He immediately turned to girls. As he saw Éponine she smiled at him lightly. He run to them as fast as he could. He jumped on Éponine and hugged her tightly. " 'Ponine! You alright?" he asked her when he finally left her. "Yeah, calm down. You'll wake up boys or Philip," she said to him. It didn't take long and Philip was awake too.

* * *

Enjolras woke up with voices around him. His head lifted and he saw in his blur vision, that siblings were once again together. He yawned and he sat up. He shook his head to wake him up and then he stood up. He walked towards siblings.  
"Hi Phil!"Gavroche said to him.  
"Hi!" he answered and he yawned again. "How are you feeling?" he asked Éponine. "How much questions of this kind must I answer today?"she asked and sighed.  
"I'm feeling better, don't worry," she said. He started to hate that sentence "Don't worry." because he knew he should worry then. "Well, that's good to hear. Azelma, go sleep if you want," he said to Azelma but she shook her head. Gavroche stood up and said: "Well, I and Azelma are going to steal then."  
Other boys were waking up too, some of them were already out of Elephant. Azelma turned to Enjolras and then to Éponine. "Philip, stay here and keep an eye on her okay?" she asked him and when he nodded and Éponine made her desperate look they left.  
"So, I'm not allowed to stand up?"she asked him. He sighed and looked on her. And then he realized his mistake. His look quickly moved on different place then her face. Her face... "Philip?"she asked him. "I don't think so. You must understand that your state is weak and you won't get through this with only few hours of sleep," he said to her still avoiding eye contact. "I understand but I'm bored even now. What would I do when few hours will pass?"she asked. He smiled and hesitantly met her eyes. He didn't move his look this time. She smiled at him too. "I have an idea. Let's play the game from earlier. I ask, you answer and you ask, I answer,"she proposed and was waiting for his response. "Why not?" he laughed and waited for her to start.

"Well, how old are you?" she asked him.  
"Twenty. You?"  
"Eighteen."  
There was a silence when she was thinking about question for him.  
"Do you know how to read?"  
"Yes. And you?"  
She laughed. "Are going to ask me the same questions I ask you? Never mind that. Well I know how to read simply words and sentences but that's it,"she said to him. And then another question raced through her head.  
"Where did you learn it?"  
He was panicking once again. Why must he lie to her? He started to form another story in his head. He can't tell her he was student once.  
"Well, I have learnt it in travelling show from gypsies. I was living with them as an attraction. I was free to leave though. But when owner didn't have enough money all of us ended up on streets. I didn't saw any of them though," he said to her and waited for respond. She nodded and pointed on him. "Your turn,"she said and he realized that it was really his turn.  
"Umm...How it is possible that you can run with serious injuries without objection or moan?" he asked her. She laughed on his question. "If I remember correctly, yesterday I moaned only when you lifted me up. I said you that I'm not so strong as you imagine me. I just do what I have to do."  
He nodded and was expecting her question.  
"What do you think about streets after some time you spend on them?" this answer surprised him. She can change topics in any second! "It's a cruel place. Cold, dirty and cruel place. Like there aren't any rights or laws. Like people forgot to be nice. Like everyone forgot that world can be a better place," he said to her silently. "You'll learn to live in this place. It just take some time," she said and that was end of their game.

"When I'll be able to walk I'll take you to someone," she broke the silence between them. "Who would it be?" he asked her. "It's surprise!" she laughed. He desperately shook with his hands. "I hate surprises," he said to her but she shook her head. "You'll meet them when the time comes."  
"So there is more than one person!"  
"I never said that."  
"You did!"  
"I didn't!"  
"Did!"  
"Didn't!"  
"Did!"  
"What are we arguing about?" she asked him after a few minutes with confused look. He thought about it and found out that he forgot too.  
"Wait... I'll find out," he said but Gavroche jumped on his back from behind. Enjolras jumped too and his eyes widened.  
" Are you trying to bring heart attack to me?" he shouted. Gavroche shook his head.  
"No, I'm trying to bring you breakfast. Come on Phil, have some fun!" Gavroche said to him. That reminded him when Grantaire always teased him like this. He smiled at the memory and he put himself back to reality. Gavroche was handing Éponine a piece of bread.  
"Did you eat anything?" she asked him with worry. "Not yet," he answered and handed one piece to Enjolras too.  
"Eat it,"she told Gavroche and handed him the bread back.  
"I'm not stupid 'Ponine. When was the last time you ate something?" Gavroche asked her. "I ate an apple yesterday," she said slowly as she was trying to remember. "And before it?" he continued with asking. "I don't know," she said to him. "You see. That means you didn't eat properly in days. Now you'll eat that bread and I'll give you another one later," Gavroche said as he disappeared again. Éponine sighed. She started with eating and Enjolras joined her. They ate their bread silently.  
"And now I gonna die with boredom!" she stated as she lied down. Enjolras smiled as he was watching her falling asleep. He knew she was still weak and she needed rest. Soon she was sleeping. He covered her with blanket and he was looking at her. Her bruises were getting from almost black to dark purple now. Her wound on forehead was closed and it looks like it was healing quite good. Only thing that worried him now was her stubbornness. If she would continue her lifestyle she won't end up well. And he didn't know how but he fell asleep too.

* * *

Enjolras was woke up by Gavroche and Azelma. They were climbing the ladder down. He looked at Éponine covered in blanket. She was still asleep. He rubbed his eyes and turned to siblings.  
"What time it is?" he asked them when they sat on ground. " Eleven," Azelma said to him and she handed him another peace of bread. "Thanks," he said as he was eating.  
"How long is she sleeping?" Gavroche asked him as he observed his older sister in sleep.  
"Gavroche! Don't stare on people like they are water melons!" he heard Éponine moaned. Her eyes were still closed but they knew she's awake. "She had been sleeping from half past seven." Enjolras answered Azelma's question and he was watching as Gavroche was about to say something.  
"You have a strange mood 'Ponine. Starring at people like they are watermelons? Even a writer won't write this! C'mon, I know that you can make a better one!" he laughed on her. Azelma laughed as well. They were used to tease their older sister. Especially when she was only half awake.  
"Uh, just leave me be!" she murmured. And exactly this Gavroche and Azelma won't do.  
"Oh, 'Ponine, you're starting to turn into some old woman with nine cats. No fun with you!" Gavroche said and he took a blanket down from Éponine. "Let her sleep. Or she'll die with boredom here!" Enjolras joined their teasing. Éponine slowly opened her eyes and she saw Gavroche jumping on her. Her face twisted in pain almost immediately. She cried softly and her eyes closed. Her hand shot up to her ribs. Azelma quickly took Gavroche down from her.  
"That's enough," she said and she made her way to Éponine's side. She took her sister's hand and Éponine squeezed her hand tightly. "It's... fine," Éponine breathed. Her breathing was unsteady. Azelma's eyes met Éponine's filled with pain. "It'll heal... in time," Éponine whispered. "I'm sorry 'Ponine. I didn't mean to hurt you," Gavroche said to her wit lowered head. "It's alright Gavroche," she said when her breathing became more steady.

Enjolras was thinking about her relationship with her siblings. He didn't saw angry Éponine when she was near them. She was caring and loving. She was like a mother to them. And they were coming to her only to hear that she's alright. He smiled at this thought. Then he looked up and he saw her standing.  
"What?" she asked him. "Well, I thought that you'll last more than a few hours of sleeping in bed," he said to her. "You really wanted me to be bored to death here?" she asked him and she was getting to ladder with her siblings at her feet. He looked at Azelma but she just shrugged. Enjolras followed them then.  
Sun was shining brightly. He covered his eyes at first but then he moved his hand away. He saw Éponine is down already. She's either master of hiding her feelings or the fastest healing person in universe. And as he knew her, first option fit her better.

"Azelma, you can go. 'Vroche the same. I'm gonna teach Philip,"she said and she caught Azelma's look. "Don't worry. Philip will be with me," Éponine said and she was watching as her siblings left.  
"So, we get started and then I'll take you to someone we mentioned earlier,"she said to him and she was quickly stepping on pavement.  
"Oh, I almost forgot,"she said and she stopped in empty alley. She took her cap down from her head. Her hair fell down on her back. "Take it,"she said to him and she handed him that cap. He shook his head. "I cannot accept this," he whispered. "Philip, take it. I can see you would be more than pleased if people won't look at you with strange glares,"she said to him and she didn't wait for respond she put that cap on his head.  
He looked at her hesitantly. His hand found cap and took it down. He was looking at it and then she handed it back.  
"I cannot. It's yours," he said. He didn't want to took her everything she's got. "Okay,"she said, " but now it's yours." After that she put that cap on his head once again. "I..." he started but words faded away. "Thank you," he whispered. "It was nothing," she said. She looked differently without that cap. More like girl.  
"It wasn't nothing. Not for me. It is first gift I get from someone who meant it with his heart and not only as responsibility," he said to her. Her head lowered. "How do you know it is from heart?" she asked him. "You won't ask this question if it won't be," he said to her with smile and he squeezed her hand. "Thank you," she said to him.  
"No, it's me who should thank you a thousand times," he said in his mind.  
She gave him hope.

As long as he'll be alive, he'll protect her. Because if he would lose her, his hope will be lost too.

* * *

A/N  
Chapter 9 tomorrow. I hope that there would be more plot.  
For guitarists: I just made tabs for Little Fall of Rain. I'm gonna post video on youtube this month. I just need some practice now.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N  
Chapter 9! Thanks for reading. We're gonna reach Chapter 10 tomorrow.  
Thanks for reviewing. And don't be afraid to say what you think about this story. It may make this story better or it just makes me happier.  
Sorry for my English again.  
So, enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

She lead him to the marketplace. It was lunch time and much people were in here. Enjolras sighed when he saw Éponine which was walking in near alley. He looked around him. There was only dirty gray walls of houses which were forming the alley. The roofs defended the light of the sun from coming down on the cold ground.  
"I think that you should start with something easier than pick-pocketing,"she said to him and she pointed on marketplace. "You'll just steal. It's easy enough. You just pass the stand and your hand takes what you want. You must be quick and you can't stop yourself even if seller would look at you," she gave him a look which reminded him like he froze when he caught the look of fat man. Look which did so much problems.  
"You can't steal anything big. It's too noticeable. Steal anything you can get to your pocket immediately. Understand?" she asked him and when he nodded she walked out of the alley.

"Watch me first and then you'll try," she said and with that she passed the nearer stand. He almost didn't notice her hand which shot and grabbed some fruit. She was walking to the other side of the market. He caught her look which told him to follow her.  
She handed him a pear.  
"Only problem is that you can't be too long in one place because people will notice you. You also can't steal from one stand. You must find another one. Try it. And don't try to bring police here," he heard her say and she disappeared in second. In one moment he thought he saw her old coat but when he looked again she wasn't there.  
He sighed and looked onto stands around him. He chose one stand with vegetables as his attempt. He walked towards it quickly. There was a big amount of people around it. His hand grabbed nearer cucumber and quickly put it in his pocket. He was walking through the marketplace when she appeared again and she leaded him out.  
"That was good. You should be able to get yourself food now," she said to him as they walked through streets. He recognized some of them but he couldn't say he know them.

"When it is so easy why don't you steal as much as you need for boys Gav and Azelma and for yourself too," he asked her. "You still have much things to learn. I can't because firstly, I hate stealing. Secondly it takes you some time to steal enough for almost ten people. And thirdly I do mostly pick-pocketing for father. Which reminds me I have to pay him twice," she sighed.  
"And why? He couldn't steal enough for himself?" he spat angrily. He hated her father for things he does to her. Every time his name was mentioned hate filled his heart.  
"It's not that he can't. He knows my weakness and he know where to push to make me do what he wants. He steal for his alcohol. I steal for my mother too but most of the money goes on his alcohol again," she said to him as he clenched his fists. If he will meet her father he won't hold himself. How can he do this to his own daughter? Is he really that bad on it, that he would make his daughter his slave too?  
"Let's change topic," she said to him when she saw his expression. "No Éponine. This is serious. He uses you! And you let him do it!" he said to her with sharp tone he didn't mean.  
"I don't have any other option!" she said to him quite calmly.  
Which made him only more angrier. So she don't try to stand against her father anymore. "You have so many options that I can't count them. You can leave! You can run away! You can stand against him! But instead of that you just accept his reign! Again 'Ponine, he uses you! And you won't do anything against it!" he said to her with same tone as before even if he wanted to control it. He saw an angry spark in her eyes but she just sighed.

"I don't have any other option," she repeated. He grabbed her hand making her stop. She turned to him immediately. They were in cold empty alleyway. No one was here and Enjolras was sure that there won't be anyone in next minutes.  
"You have. Leave! Get away! Start a new life! God, Éponine you are not weak so stand against him. He can't prevent you from leaving. It's your own will! Why are you obeying him still?!" he asked her his tone more gently now. She shook her head slightly. She leaned on wall then and she slowly fell down with her hands covering her bruised face.  
"You don't understand," she whispered.  
"I understand. You are scared of him but it can't make you throw your life away," he said to her. Her head lifted.

"You don't understand! You say leave him. But he'll find me. You say get away from him. But he'll find Gavroche or get Azelma. You say start a new life. But how when there will be still chains on you and they'll remind you that your siblings are suffering while you have your new life?" she said to him desperately. He looked at her.  
"You can't give up,"he whispered silently.  
"And what should I do? I tried. I tried and only things which came from it were pain and blood. You think that I can stand against him. But I can't. Not with Gavroche and Azelma around there. Not with Patron Minette behind him. Life isn't that easy Philip. Life isn't easy at all," she said to him loudly. He could saw her eyes burning with anger and yet he said that sentence to her. How he regretted his words later."You can't be weak. I know you are strong enough to stand up. I know you can leave him. Just look in you heart and find the strength you need. You can free Azelma and Gavroche from his grip too. You can leave him. All of you."  
He was watching as anger in her eyes disappeared. There was nothing in her eyes now. He saw nothing in deepness of her brown eyes. She lowered her head slowly. She didn't shout at him. She didn't burst into tears. She was silent. And that was worse than shouting or crying.  
He knew he crossed limits. He knew he shouldn't talk about her and her family that way. He didn't have a right to. His passion ruled him once again. Now, that he was again old Enjolras he was regretting every word he told her. His own words were burning inside him.

Then she did something that scared him most. She just turned around and left him. She was running away from him. He was just standing here without a move. Then his eyes widened and he was running as fast as he could only to reach her.  
"Éponine! Wait! Please wait!" he shouted at her. She didn't stop. It seemed that she was running even faster. She was pretty fast and when he remembered her state from yesterday when she could hardly stood up...he was worried.  
He lost her. He couldn't find her shadow. Her tattered coat.

He lost her. He lost his hope. "What have I done? Am I really good only for hurting her?" he thought to himself as he was walking through the maze of Paris.  
Minutes were floating.  
Hours passed.  
And he found himself sitting under the old tree. And he realized he wasn't alone. There was a scrap of familiar old coat. He stood up and he removed the cap from his head slowly. He looked at brown color of it and walked a few steps to her side.  
She was sitting here without move, without any emotion. Her look was on rose before her.  
Red rose which petals was slowly falling down. "Éponine?" he asked her slowly. She didn't respond. She didn't even move her look.  
"I'm sorry," he said as he placed cap before her feet. She wasn't moving. But then her look fell down on that cap. He held his breath as he was expecting her reaction.  
Her fingers touched the cap slowly. Then she grabbed it and she buried her face into it. Soon he heard her sobbing.  
He walked to her slowly and he put his hands on her arms.

"I'm terrible person," he heard her mutter. Only now he realized how broken she is. How he was always blind towards her. Now he can see, that she gave up a long time ago. That she's living only for her siblings. That she didn't want chance for herself but only for her siblings.  
"I'm sorry,"he repeated. Her eyes very hesitantly met his.  
"Now you know everything. I hate myself for my weakness. I hate myself because I gave up. But what can I do? What can I do when there's no hope for me?" she said to him. He slowly knelt to her. Her eyes were filled with pain. "I can't leave my old life. It would bring only more suffering. Father would make Azelma and Gavroche do dirty work. I can't allow that. That's one thing I won't allow him to do," she sobbed and lowered her head.  
He couldn't understand how she can held this amount of pain in her. He couldn't imagine how desperate she was.  
"Hope is still here Éponine," he said to her.  
"Maybe for them. But not for me," she whispered and her look was again on the flower before her. "I'm like that rose you know? Once I was beautiful and life was happy. But now I live only because I have to," she said and he started to feel her gnawing pain.  
"One person told me once, that crying would help,"he said to her, remembering on her own words when he was desperate. She smiled sadly at him.  
"It would help but it won't solve the problem," she said to him silently.  
How could he ignored her pain for so long? How could he made her life even harder when he came to her with his pleading eyes? Why can't he help her from this hell? From this Hell on Earth?  
He hugged her. She sighed and placed her head on his shoulder.  
"I wish I can help you somehow," he whispered.  
"You can't. This problem is inside me and I must get through it alone. I'm sorry," she said to him. He could feel her eyes closing.

"Don't be."

He wanted her to forget her cold past. To take one step in time, when everything was alright. She was broken. So fragile inside that one word could broke her completely. And yet she was climbing through the hell in her soul. At least for her siblings. She was trapped in unending night filled with dark shadows of her own mind.  
Her life was turned upside down after he arrived. He changed her life. But was it for better?

"Let's go," she whispered but she didn't stood up. He released her from his brace and he stood up slowly. She sighed and she stood up too. She put her old cap, which was his now, on his head again with small sad smile. That smile which made him desperate.  
She turned to masked Éponine once again. Hidden from the world which can't saw her pain anymore.  
"Change in plan today. We aren't going to meet with Amis. I'm sorry. I just need some time to sort things out,"she said to him and she turned to leave. His heart jumped slightly when he heard her told that word. Amis. She was about to take him to them and he destroyed his chance.  
He didn't say anything. If she needs time he'll give it to her.  
He was looking at her sadly as she was walking into dark alleyway to escape from her life. With work to do she forgot about her pain. She forgot that her soul is damaged then.  
He followed her. The silence between them was... well, strange. He was feeling like they were getting away from each other. And yet he felt like they relationship was somehow better.  
It was strange to know broken Éponine. It was scary but he couldn't bring himself to think about anything else. There was still her desperate look before his eyes. He was feeling something he couldn't describe properly. Like he took something hard and gnawing on his shoulders and yet he didn't feel anything.

"I have to go. Stay here if you want,"she said to him and then she disappeared. Again. She always disappeared. His only hope, which he almost buried today.  
His eyes found Elephant. He sat on wall before it, just gazing in front of him. And thinking. About her. About his hope, his Angel.  
Someone poked him. He lifted his head and looked into Gavroche's eyes. "Thinking?"Gavroche asked him. "Yeah," he answered silently to him. "I saw 'Ponine walking out of the slums. Is something wrong?"Gavroche asked him.  
"Don't worry," he said the sentence he hated so much, " she needs to sort some things and so need I."  
"I won't be bothering you then,"Gavroche told him and was about to leave but Enjolras stood up.  
"I'm alright. It's your sister I'm worried about,"he said as he caught Gavroche up.  
"Headaches again?"Gavroche asked him as he climbed up the Elephant.  
"Something worse. But don't ask me about it. She'll tell you when she'll be ready,"he told Gavroche and he entered into Elephant. He sat down and he picked the pear and cucumber out of his pockets.

He was watching the perfect looking pear near his ugly looking cucumber. He didn't know why was he doing it, but he divided pear and cucumber in parts. The look he got was terrible enough for him. He threw parts of pear and cucumber out of the hole which was in wall of Elephant angrily.  
"Oh, 'Ponine,"he whispered silently.

No one noticed flying parts of fruit and vegetable. No one noticed pear which was rotting from inside out. No one noticed cucumber, which was perfect inside.

* * *

A/N  
I don't know when I would be able to update Chapter 10 tomorrow. I'll see how it is with Wifi in my school. Maybe I'll update in usual time, but it's possible that I'll update few hours later because of school.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N  
Chapter 10!  
So, with this chapter, the story reached more than 30,000 words, more than 1000 views and 4 reviews. 4 people clicked on "Favorite" and 5 on "Follow" button. I'm really happy and I would like to thank anybody who read this story to this point.  
Sorry for my English.  
I'll give this story to some Beta tester later. I know how terrible is my English. If you want to be Beta for this story PM me. Or I'll find another person :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Enjolras didn't sleep all night. He was thinking about her. He was haunted by image of the rotten pear which was so beautiful from outside. Memories and their shattered pieces were flowing in his mind and when he thought, that he couldn't remember on anything else, another memory appeared.  
Morning came. Lunch passed. And she didn't came. Sun was lowering slowly and he was still sitting in Elephant. When he heard steps behind him, he turned. His heart skipped few beats, when he saw her, sad smile on her lips, fresh bruise on her cheek.  
She sat next to him.  
"I'm sorry," she said to him.  
"I..."he started but his voice faded. He was speechless. What should they talk about? Every topic was leading them only to her problems, pains. She shook her head slowly.  
"I was... thinking," her voice trembled slightly. "Well, I decided to throw my problems away... for now."  
His head lifted and he smiled at her. "It won't solve them," he sighed after moment of silence.  
"It's better this way," she told him and she stood up.  
"Come with me."  
He stood up ready to follow her. Grasp which was pushing his heart disappeared. But the thought, that she's suffering inside lasted.  
They were walking the poor parts and then he saw better quarters.

He soon realized familiar streets. Streets where he lived for years. And soon the Café Musain appeared before him. She didn't say a word and she opened the front door. He hesitated for a few seconds but then he crossed the front door too.

Nothing have changed from his last visit. Tables were on same places. Paintings didn't leave their places on wall. Waitress was still the same woman. He was glad he had Éponine's old cap on his head.  
He saw her walking up stairs. And before he followed her, he knew exactly who'll be there.  
As he was following her, memories was reviving before his eyes and when he came upstairs he smiled. Everything was the same.  
Grantaire sitting with his bottle in corner. Combeffere playing cards with Courf. Joly reading his book. Jehan writing something in his notebook. And others were just sitting around talking. When they realized Éponine all of them stood up.  
"Hey there 'Ponine! Where have you been for so long? And who's this friend of yours?" Grantaire said. He was quite sob surprisingly. Enjolras lowered his head. He was afraid they'll recognize him as a cripple which was playing on their leader, but Éponine's cap was covering him enough.  
"Much work to do. This is Philip. So, what's new around here guys?" she asked and she sat down at her usual table.  
"Philip? I have some strange feeling that we have met earlier," Joly's face twisted as he tried to remember.  
"I don't know. I wasn't in this parts of city for a long time. Maybe we met somewhere sometimes," Enjolras said and it seemed that Joly was satisfied enough to let it be.  
"Well, Marius decided to marry his beloved. Their marriage is tomorrow. He didn't invite us!" Courfeyrac said and he returned to his game with Combeffere. " And you wonder why not? Every celebration we had here ended up... well, not good,"she laughed.  
Enjolras was watching her expressions. She really moved on. And he was too blind to saw it.  
"But this is different! It's marriage! We were ready to destroy it! And he gonna avoid that!" Courf was shouting like small child.  
"Calm down Courf. I'm sure he'll come today," she said to make him silent.

Enjolras smiled when he remembered on their celebrations. Grantaire was drunk completely and everyone was doing stupidities. They almost set Café to fire last year, but he stopped it. He never drink alcohol with them. Éponine always left earlier, because of her own troubles. But she heard everything on next day.

"So Philip, where are you from?" Jehan asked when he stopped with his writing. "I was born here in Paris," he answered and watched as Jehan nodded. "Oh, I almost forgot on manners. I'm Jean Prouviare, but call me Jehan. This drunken one is Grantaire, duo playing cards are Combeffere and Courfeyrac..."and he continued with introducing which wasn't needed to Enjolras.  
"Much names to remember,"he sighed and he was acting like he didn't know them. "You'll get it, don't worry. And what brings you here?" Jehan continued with asking.  
"Éponine," he laughed and Éponine poked him. They were kicking under the table. He gave up after some time while Jehan was still asking. "How did you two met?" Enjolras looked at Éponine to get permission for talking about this thing. "I helped her and she helped me." He didn't get into details because it was too personal for him and for her too.  
"I would say that Éponine finally found herself a boyfriend!"Grantaire shouted.  
"We're just friends,"Éponine said and she sent hundred thunders to Grantaire.  
"Just friends,"Enjolras repeated and he felt blood running into his face. When they mentioned it he started to think about her in different way. Maybe... they can be more than just friends.  
Amis was looking at them. All of then they burst into laughing. "Excuse us," she said as they were still laughing and she was leading him out of building.  
"I'm sorry for them. They are just doing nonsense because you're new," she said to him. He liked that she was talking to him more normally now. But the thought that she's suffering inside reminded in his heart.  
"It's alright. They seemed just little crazy to me," he laughed. They always seemed crazy to him. Now that he said it loudly he had to laugh.  
"Yes... but crazy in a good way. It's fun with them when they get to know you better," she said and she turned around.  
Clocks struck six.  
It was becoming darker. "We should go," she said to him.  
"How did you meet them?" he asked her. He really didn't know how she came to know Amis. He started to realize her later, when Marius was with Cosette.  
"Well, one of them, his name is Marius, met me first. He was the first one who showed some kindness to me. He was our neighbor for two months. He stopped my father... well, from selling me to some stranger. That was mainly reason for him to leave later. I helped him then with his escape and we became friends. He took me on one meeting of revolutionaries which this guys were a long time ago. And I started to know them better,"she said. He nodded. So Marius saved her from prostitution.  
His heart filled with hate and anger on her father. Did he really care only for his stupid alcohol that he was able to sell his own daughter?  
"If I would meet your father..." "You will be quiet and won't make problems," she said and she started with walking.  
"Father didn't attempt to sell me after that anymore, if it will calm you,"she said but fury inside him only raised.  
"I don't understand how can you even be in contact with him,"he said but she turned to him immediately.  
"Don't start this topic anymore," she said to him with slight spark of anger in her voice. He nodded then. He learned that this topic was too personal to Éponine and her siblings too. He remembered Gavroche when he asked something about it .

* * *

_"Gavroche? How it is possible that your sister is still obeying your father after all he had done to her?"_  
_"Philip, this is not easy. We don't talk about it because it hurts her. I know she's doing it for me and Azelma. And you must understand that it's not easy for us to talk about it," Gavroche said seriously.  
Enjolras was surprised by this serious Gavrcohe.  
"But it still don't give me answer,"he murmured.  
"Look she has three options. First: She will do what father says to her and he won't hurt me or Azelma. Second: She'll face him and leave him. Father will find Azelma or me and he'll make her come here again because he knows she can't see us suffering. Third option: She'll throw her old life away and she'll forget on us. And now try to jump to her skin and make choice,"Gavrcohe said to him and Enjolras lowered his head. Now he understand that this theme was too painful for all siblings, because they know that whatever they'll do their father will find them.  
"Éponine chose first option. Sacrifice herself for us. And we can't say anything. We can't do anything,"Gavroche told him and he turned to leave.  
"It hurts me to know that she's suffering. And it hurts her to talk about it, so please, don't open this theme again,"boy disappeared leaving Enjolras in his thoughts._

* * *

He moved his look up to her and he slowly followed her lead. "Where are we going now?"he asked her. "I don't even know," she answered but she didn't stop. They were just walking. Darkness was slowly falling on Paris. Streetlamps were shining now. There wasn't lot of people around. Dark figures lying in alleys was preparing for sleep.  
"You know what?" he started.  
"Hmm?"  
"You are still taking me somewhere. It's time that I'll take you somewhere too."  
And so he was now leading. He knew the streets which he walked so many times as child.  
She was looking lost now. He was sure that she wasn't in this parts of city for very long.  
"You know it here?"she asked him.  
"I lived here."  
Then he saw that place. A bridge. Streetlamps were shining with weak light here. He walked in the middle of the bridge with her behind him.

"It's beautiful," she said as she looked at Seine slowly running down and the Paris illuminated with the lights of the lamps and the moon only. There was a light in some windows and all it made a beautiful image. They were watching Paris silently. Everything was calm.  
"If this could last forever,"she sighed knowing, that when morning will come she'll return to her old life.  
"This image will end but memories will be in your heart," he said silently.  
"But they won't last forever," she added and they fell silent once again enjoying each others company.  
"Éponine?" he broke the silence between them. She lifted her head. She was shorter only for a few inches than him but she still had to look up to see his eyes.  
"Do you... do you think that someone will ever like monster like me?" he asked her and his eyes moved on his feet. He heard her sigh as she came closer to him.  
"Philip, look at me, " she said to him making his eyes to meet hers. "You are not monster and you should stop consider yourself as monster. You didn't choose your face or your body. But I'm sure that you'll find someone who'll truly like you," she said to him. He turned to Seine, his hands holding railing of the bridge.  
Her head rested on his shoulder. They were watching the moon silently. "Which star you like the most?"he asked her.  
"I don't know. I don't look at them often," she said and lifted her head.  
"And you?"

"This one," he pointed above his head. "It's Sirius. When I was small mother showed it to me. It was the happier part of my life," he sighed. Stars brought up the memories of his childhood, when he loved and was loved too. When his father smiled with him and when his mother was watching the stars with him.  
"I have always imagined them as some protectors. Like they could protect me from my fear and pain. I was younger then,"she laughed to herself.  
He looked at her. Her face shining in the weak light of the moon. She was beautiful.  
Before his eyes appeared an image of rotten pear. Her pear. He looked down. She was beautiful when you were looking at her like this. But inside she was broken and ruined.  
And that image won't leave his mind that soon.

Her head turned to him. Their faces was only few inches away. He could feel her breathing on his skin. He looked into her deep brown eyes and he was mesmerized by them. He leaned towards her. His skin touched hers, making him shiver but he continued. He was still looking exactly in her eyes. And then his eyes closed. And his lips hesitantly met hers.  
He could feel her hand on his cheek. Their kiss was soft and innocent. And he wanted to be like this forever.  
His mind was ready to explode! He was kissing her! He was kissing someone! His suffering will end! He found love.  
But was it really love? Does she love him too?  
No! How could he? How dare he? He forgot his fate. The fate of Monster. He forgot that he won't be loved by anyone. He forgot his place. Again.  
He broke the kiss immediately. His breathing became faster by second. He backed eyes filled with horror. She was standing here, her eyes closed. But then she opened them. And she froze.  
"Forget this. Forget all about me!"he said and he turned around. He didn't listen to her shouts and pleadings. He didn't listen to her. How could he after what he had done?  
He betrayed her. He betrayed her trust. How could he think that she might have like him?  
He was running. Clouds came from nowhere. Rain was pouring like it wasn't raining in weeks. He was soaked soon, but he didn't stop.  
He just threw himself on ground when he couldn't continue. And his vision became blur.

* * *

_"Enjolras," he heard familiar voice calling. He opened his eyes and he saw her. "Fantine, what do you want?!" he shouted. "There's no need to be so sharp. I do it for your own good. But why did you left her just standing on that bridge?" she asked him. He looked around himself. Same empty place as before.  
"All I ever did to her hurt her. I didn't want to bring more pain to her," he said and he walked closer to Fantine.  
"And that's exactly what you did."  
"No," he whispered.  
"Do you want to see her? To hear her feelings maybe?" she asked. He didn't respond. He didn't want to.  
"I won't show it to you. It would be too painful. She loves you, can't you see it?And you just run away after your first kiss Enjolras!" He just nodded and he lowered his head.  
"Imagine how is she feeling now. Rejected? Dropped? Destroyed? Betrayed?"  
"Stop it!"he shouted.  
When he imagined __Éponine__ walking down the streets with those feelings inside her...  
"I told you before, that I'll come to see you one last time before your transformation. You are really close to it now. But remember, you can lost everything in less than one second," she said to him and gave him a warning look.  
"Take care of __Éponine__. Don't let your anger break the walls of your heart. It'll be hard now. Hard decisions, hard emotions and I can see only two endings here. But I can't tell you more. It's your decisions which will decide if the end will be happy or not. Good luck!" she said and with that, she disappeared._

* * *

Her words was echoing through his mind. She was warning him again. And she helped him once again to regain his thoughts. He was so stupid! He was so blind! But what would be expected from the Monster?  
He remembered his cucumber which was perfect inside. "My soul is not perfect, not anymore," he whispered.

He don't deserve her hope. He don't deserve Éponine at all.

* * *

A/N  
Chapter 11 soon. (I hope)  
School started today... I get horrible timetable by the way. 


	11. Chapter 11

A/N  
Chapter 11!  
Thanks for reading and reviewing.  
Thanks goes to Eponine-chan for following and favoring this story.  
This chapter is shorter than others. I hope I'll be able to write longer ones.  
Also, with this chapter my regular updating has to end. I'm in school now and school is first priority for me.  
Feel free to say anything about this story.  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

She was desperate. She have run through all streets she knew here, but without success. It was like he fell under the ground. Rain was falling down, soaking her and making her shiver.  
He left her on bridge without a word, without explaining. What did he feel? Why did he run?  
She sighed, shooking her head slightly and turned to another street.  
She didn't know what happened between them. She couldn't express her feelings towards him. She couldn't explain her acts towards him. Never before she allowed any man to touch her heart in the way he did. She never felt this way about anyone else.  
She took distance from men, she was always careful with them. And here she is, completely lost with her acts, with her emotions... She didn't know him that long.  
"How can anyone fall in love with someone that fast?" But she remembered Marius and Cosette. Love on first sigh. She don't believe in this thing though. People have to know each other first. But that was her opinion. She couldn't tell that she knew him. He was mysterious. His past, his presence. Everything about him was mysterious. Cripple man, which begged her for help. He changed into her friend in matter of day. And now, he is much more than a friend. And she can't find him.

She walked into alley with her head bowed. Rain was whipping her face wildly. When she lifted her head she sighed. She found him. But not in state she wanted him to be in.  
"Philip!" she screamed when she find out he's unconscious. His skin was cold, his lips almost white.  
"C'mon wake up!" she said desperately. She slapped him lightly. He murmured something but he didn't wake up.  
"Philip, please!"she cried but he eyes were still closed. Then they shot open making her draw back from him.  
"Leave me alone," he said to her.  
"No, Philip please!" she cried again. Tears were running down her face, alongside with raindrops, and she knew she can't stop them.  
"Please," she whispered.  
He stood up. "I don't deserve you. You're too kind to me. To this monster," he said and he turned away from her. She grabbed his arm.  
"You are not monster."  
"And who am I?" he turned to her sharply. He was looking straight into her eyes, his breathing faster than usual.  
"Better, what am I?" he whispered as his eyes closed and his head lowered. He felt her cold hand under his chin. "Philip," she started.  
"I don't know how to tell it to you. YOU are not monster. You are less monster than I am. And just because your face is, like it is you can't consider yourself as monster. Or you'll become one. But not from outside. From here" she said and her hand moved to his heart. His eyes opened. He grabbed her hand and pushed it aside.  
"What are you talking about? No one would ever like me... No one will love me..." he whispered last sentence.  
" I..."  
"Don't make lies to me! Don't lie! Who would ever love a cripple like me?!" he said to her.  
Before he could do anything against it she kissed him. Her cold hands were touching his cheeks. He could feel her shiver. His hand run through her wet hair.  
"Me," she whispered and she kissed him one more time. Then she made one step back.  
"I don't care how you look like. I don't care about your looks.  
I love you the way you are.  
And even if you don't love me I'll love you forever." He hugged her, tears running down his cheeks. His face buried into her shoulder. He felt her hands on his back. "I'm sorry," she hear his whispering.  
"It's alright."

They were standing here, in the darkness, rain falling on them, embracing each other.  
"You're cold," he said as he felt her shivering. "You too,"she smiled at him.  
"We should go. Or you'll get sick," he said to her. She held his hand tightly, walking near him.  
She was happy.  
He found his happiness finally.  
He smiled. How stupid he was. He should learn to listen. She made something unbelievable. She made his marble heart crack. He was no longer a marble statue, as his friends nicknamed him. He wasn't without emotions anymore. He wasn't lost in his own world now. She healed him. She healed his damaged soul and she brought new hope to him.  
Then he remembered on Fantine. She told him, that she'll come one last time before transformation...  
"That means... that means that I'm close! Oh, 'Ponine. Soon, I'll be normal. But will you recognize me?"

Rain finally stopped.  
"You know, you're difficult person?" she teased him.  
"Wait, if I'm difficult what are you? Super difficult?" She gave him a look and he laughed only because of that. They walked to poor quarters. Éponine sighed when they reached Elephant. "Everything must end once," she whispered. Enjolras nodded and smiled at her. But then something else drew their attention.  
"How could he? That small little..." Éponine was saying with her eyes enlarged.  
"Calm down. He's just boy."  
"He's twelve! And he's my brother! How could he found girlfriend before I got boyfriend?"she asked him with smirk and she was about to walk into the place where Gavroche was... well kissing his girlfriend. Enjolras grabbed her hand.  
"Let him be," he said to her with smile.  
"He's twelve Philip! His too young for relationship!"  
"'Ponine, just let him be. You'll discuss it with him later." She looked at him, like she was deciding if she should walk into Gavroche's 'things' or just leave the boy alone with his girl.  
"Okay..." she said still torn. Then she turned around. "So, what are we going to do now?" she asked him as they walked away from Elephant.  
"I don't know... wait, what was that?" he stopped suddenly.  
"What..." she was shushed by the movement of his hand.  
"Wait," he whispered and they waited. Angry voices appeared. And one specific made Éponine's heart froze.  
"Father,"she whispered.  
"What?" he asked her but she was on her way already. She turned around immediately.  
"You stay here!" she said in rush. He could saw fear in her eyes. But not that kind he saw when they talked about her father. This fear... was somehow different.  
"No," he said and he was following her.  
"Philip please! Just stay here and don't follow me. This is too serious," she said to him with pleading eyes. He nodded quickly but he know, he won't be obeying.  
"I trust you,"she whispered and she walked in near alley.  
Enjolras was listening to voices and he was following her quietly. From what he could hear they were arguing. And it didn't seem to end well. He hided under the bushes silently listening and watching situation.

Two strong men held the third against the wall. He recognized Thenárdier as the man which was pushed against the wall. "You'll pay that price!" one of the man said.  
"I don't have any money, how much times have I repeat it to you?" Thenárdier's face met with fist of the man.  
"Stop it!" Éponine came to them. Their heads turned to her. One of them grinned and he walked closer to her.  
"What do we have here? I didn't see you for years, dear 'Ponine," man said and touched her cheek with his filthy hand. Éponine turned her face away. Something in man's voice made Enjolras shiver. It was cold and brutal voice. Man grabbed Éponine by her neck and he threw her to the feet of her father.  
"Like father like daughter, scums of the streets," man spat at her. Enjolras wanted to jump from his cover but he knew he would make only more troubles with that.  
Éponine's head lowered.  
"What do you want from him?"she asked as she lifted herself up. Thenárdier didn't say anything, he was still pushed against the wall. "Oh, your father just owe me money and he don't want to give them to me," man said and walked to Thenárdier. His fist was ready to strike, but he was stopped by Éponine.  
"How much he owes you?" she asked him.  
"Fifty franks!" man shouted at her. He was watching as Éponine's hand reached her pocket. She handed the man fifty franks and man grinned again.  
"So, daughter is saving her daddy. How moving," he said as he slapped her. "Leave him, we have the money" he said to other man. Before their leaving he kicked Éponine hardly into stomach leaving her on ground. Enjolras held himself. His brain had control over his body now, but he didn't know how long he can last like that.

Men left leaving Éponine and her father alone. Thenárdier pushed himself up and he came to Éponine's side. Enjolras was thinking, that he would thank her or just help her up but he did something really different. He leaned over her and he turned her face to him.  
"You had fifty franks! And you didn't give them to me! You little slut, that was my money!" he said. Éponine sat slowly with her hand covering her stomach.  
"They weren't for you! I saved them for Azelma and Gavroche,"she whispered. Things, that followed after this were quick. Enjolras saw Thenárdier's hand slapping her. He jumped, immediately running to them. Éponine's eye widened, when she saw him. "You won't lay your hand on her anymore," Enjolras said coldly.  
"Says who?" Thenárdier asked him and he laughed. Éponine was lifting herself up, while Enjolras was saying: "You don't need to know, who I am. How could you do that to her? She saved you from them!" Enjolras shouted at him.  
"You won't say to me what should I do, cripple," Thenárdier said with rough voice. Enjolras fist was ready to hit him but Éponine grabbed his hand as she stood before her father.  
"Don't,"she whispered with weak voice.  
But even that desperate voice didn't stop him. He said, that once he'll meet her father, he'll won't hold himself. He freed his hands from her grip and he threw her away. She fell to the ground with her eyes full of pain. Psychical pain. Enjolras jumped onto Thenárdier. Enjolras kicked him, but Thenárdier was stronger than he. Thenárdier gave him quick hit into ribs and then Enjolras hit his nose. Thenárdier backed, his hands covering his nose. Blood was running down his face. Enjolras was getting closer. Arms grabbed him from behind and pulled him away.  
"Don't," she whispered again, this time walking to her father.  
"You! You'll pay for this! You'll pay for what you have done," he said to Enjolras angrily and then he turned to his daughter. "And you! Prepare for consequences," he said and then he disappeared into shadows.

There was silence between them two. Then she turned to him, pain still in her eyes. "I have trusted you," she whispered and she leaned on wall. He realized his mistake."But Éponine!" he started but he stopped when he heard her sigh.  
"I wouldn't care if you'll just broke my trust in you. You get yourself into problem now. And a big one. One which can kill you. What would I do without you?" she said to him as she fell on ground her arms around her knees.  
"I'm sorry," he said but she just shook her head. "Sorry won't solve this problem! Why did you come? Why did you get into things which are only between my father and me? Why Philip? Why?" she said desperately and tears left her eyes.  
"I just wanted to help," he whispered. He knew his actions made it only worse. He knew it and he was ashamed of that.  
"I know," she whispered.  
"Go to Elephant," she said.  
"But Éponine..."  
"Now!" she said desperately. His head lowered and he walked away.

Why must he always make things worse? Why must he always betray her trust? How it is possible that everything he did around her became only worse?

Why?

* * *

A/N  
So, expect Chapter 12 this week.  
Also my guitar lessons started again so don't expect anything on Wednesdays.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N  
Chapter 12!  
Sorry for the waiting. I had to repeat Maths, Physics and Chemistry + I got a long homework from English. Teachers are terrible! School only started and I have a two tests on Monday already.  
Thanks for reading!  
Sorry for my English again.  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

He was sitting in Elephant for days now, wondering, where she is. She sent him a note after Gavroche. It said that he shouldn't go out till it'll be necessary. So he was in Elephant alone. Boys left in the morning to steal or just to have a fun and he stayed here, in dark, cold room.  
He sighed. Where is she? Is she wounded? Or even worse? Why isn't she coming? Why?  
Questions raced through his head as he stood up. He didn't know what to do. He spent earlier days with thinking but he was slowly getting headaches from it so he stopped with it. It wasn't good for anything. He won't solve anything with it.

He turned around when he heard someone climbing the ladder down. Soon he saw a fragile figure. He recognized her almost immediately. But she was without her usual tattered dirty coat. He run to her hugging her immediately. She was standing surprised for a few seconds, then hugged him back.  
"You're alive," he whispered. "Well, you won't get a rid of me that quickly," she smiled and put her head on his shoulder. Without her coat she was more skinny. Too skinny. He broke their embrace looking at her bruised face. There were fresh bruises and cuts.  
"What happened to you?" he asked her touching her bruised cheek slightly. She sighed. His hand find hers and squeezed it.  
"I was saving your skin. You're safe...for now. I showed them the wrong way," she said to him, her head lowered.  
"You don't have to do this. I would..." he started but she shook her head immediately.  
"You won't have a chance against them. Father sent three members after you. One is enough to kill you," she whispered.  
"I'm sorry," he said to her.  
"You just wanted to help. I don't blame you. Just be more careful next time," she said and she walked to Gavroche's bed. She put small package on it and she turned back to him.

"What is it," he asked. "Well, it's Gavroche's birthday today, so it's a present,"she said to him with smile. "I expect I won't see him today so I decided to give him a present at least," she said as she was climbing up.  
"Come," she said and he followed her up.  
"What did you get him?" he asked. "You are too curious aren't you?" she laughed.  
"Well, few franks and cap I bought! Bought not stole!" she said.  
"Okay I believe you!" he laughed. Her care for her siblings moved his heart again.  
"When is your birthday " he asked her suddenly. Her head shot up as she heard his question.  
"I...I don't know," she said.  
"Wait, what?" he asked her.  
"No one ever told me when I was born. I doubt that my mother knows it," she sighed.

"Well, how do you know Gavroche's than?" he asked her as he was walking next to her.  
"I was six when he was born, so I remember it," they were crossing the bridge to better parts of Paris now. It was almost evening now, sun was shining low on sky, people were still walking through streets.  
"And you remember Azelma's too?"  
"No... I just said that it would be on that day and she agreed," Éponine said and she turned to him.  
" Strange," he said to her.  
She didn't ask him anything and he didn't asker her anything too. They were silent.  
"Where are we going?" he asked when he saw Musain in the distance.  
"Amis are going to have a celebration of Marius' wedding. I was invited and I decided to take you with me,"she grinned at him. She didn't wait for respond and she walked straight to Musain.  
He sighed and followed her. He knew their celebrations. Drinking, drinking and again drinking.

When he entered the Musain he found Éponine talking to Amis. "'Ponine! Your friend is coming too? " Grantaire asked her. "Yes," she answered shortly and gave a smile to Enjolras.  
"That's great! Hey, Philip was it? Would you like to have a drinking challenge with me?" Grantaire smiled at him and he came closer.  
"I don't drink alcohol," he answered quickly and met Grantaire's disappointing look. But then it changed.  
"So, you have a great chance to learn it!" Grantaire laughed. Enjolras looked for Éponine to help him, but she wasn't in his sight. When he turned he saw her with Gavroche.  
"I'm sorry. Maybe another time," he said to Grantaire which left him clearly disappointing. Enjolras walked to Gavroche and Éponine.  
"You have it on your bed," Éponine smiled at Gavroche and Enjolras could said that she was talking about Gavroche's present. "Thanks 'Ponine!" Gavroche hugged her carefully.  
"Great, you can stay here, if you want, but no drinking and not some dirty jokes with Courf okay?" she smiled at him. Gavroche nodded with grin Éponine didn't see. Enjolras laughed to himself. What was waiting for Éponine this night?

"Hey! The lovebirds are coming!" Grantaire shouted, his voice already drunk.  
Soon Marius and Cosette appeared. Cosette was in white dress and Marius in his usual coat.  
"Hi guys," Marius said. He was surrounded by Amis patting him on back or just congratulating him. It seemed, that Cosette have met Amis already because they came to her side too. Éponine and Enjolras were just standing next to window, waiting.  
When Marius saw her he quickly came to her side.  
"I'm sorry 'Ponine, I didn't invite you," he said to her.  
"I don't mind it. I wasn't able to come so there would be just empty place. Congratulations by the way. You're making wonderful couple," she said to him with smile. He smiled back and his look moved to Enjolras.  
"Who's this 'Ponine?" he asked her.  
"It's my friend, don't be afraid,"she laughed. Enjolras hand stretched to him.  
"Philip," he said as Marius shook his hand.  
"Marius. I didn't see you around. Are you new?" Marius asked him.  
"Yes. Éponine helps me with living on streets. She's good friend," he said to him with smile."More than good friend," he thought to himself.  
"Yeah," Marius said and he was attracted by Joly. Enjolras turned around to find Éponine. She was with Cosette. He moved closer. Party started and it was pretty loud.

Two girls were just starring at each other. "I'm sorry," he heard Éponine's voice. Her head was bowed. Cosette came closer to her and she took her hand.  
"It's alright. You can't change the past," she said to Éponine. Éponine lifted her head and she looked at Cosette's eyes.  
"But still, I was a brat. I'm sorry," Éponine almost whispered.  
"I forgave you a long time before. I can see you have changed," Cosette said with smile on her lips. Éponine's head lowered again.  
"Thank you," she said. Cosette squeezed her hand, smile wasn't leaving her lips.  
"Friends?" Cosette asked her. Éponine's head lifted again and she nodded.  
"Friends," he heard her said. Then Cosette left her to find Marius.  
He quickly came to Éponine's side. "What was that?" he asked her. "You remember the story of my childhood?" she asked him sitting at her usual place in corner. "Yeah. Is she...?"he started and she nodded immediately. "We didn't saw each other for a long time. I saw her, when I was delivering letters to her but she didn't recognize me then. Now, when we met, she recognized me. And I did what I should do a long time ago,"she sighed.

"And where's your coat?" he asked her. She smiled. "It stayed at home so I won't be recognized by Minette so quickly. They are used to my coat. Now, when I'm not wearing it, I'm more invisible to them," she laughed and looked to him. Silence they shared was broken by Grantaire.

"'Ponine do me one favour. Leave us with Philip alone for a few minutes," he said and he grinned.  
"I said I don't drink alcohol," Enjolras said to him when Éponine left.  
"I'm not here because of that. I just need your help with our little joke," Grantaire grinned at him.  
"What do you mean?" Enjolras sighed.  
"I just want to have some fun. You and 'Ponine are not that kind of people who have some fun. You're too serious all the time. You don't touch any alcohol, 'Ponine drinks a glass of wine or two and that's all. No fun with you. So, I and Courfeyrac decided to make 'Ponine drunk. I'm too drunk. Never mind that," Grantaire smiled as Enjolras' left brow raised higher.  
"So, first I'm gonna make a drink to 'Ponine. Then I'll make another one and another one..." Grantaire said.  
"And you think 'Ponine is that stupid, that she'll drink anything from you?" Enjolras was looking at him in disbelief.  
"No! We have you! You'll give her that drink," Grantaire laughed and he pulled a bottle of some alcohol on table.  
"Meet my friend. Vodka," Grantaire said dreamily  
. "I won't do it. She's my friend. And vodka smells too much by the way," he said to drunkard.  
"C'mon Phil. Use your brain. I'm gonna mix it with something!"

"I won't do it," Enjolras repeated.  
"Phil, you must help us. You're our only hope!" Grantaire begged.  
"No, Grantaire! She has lot of things to take care of. You can't make it more difficult for her," Enjolras said desperately.  
"Oh, I get it! You have a crush on her! And you don't want to be near her!" Grantaire said to him. Enjolras rolled his eyes and he turned to marble statue this time. He couldn't let Grantaire know about their secret relationship. They would laugh at them. "You are wrong," he said to Grantaire.  
"Then where's the problem? Bring it to her!" Grantaire handed him a drink. Enjolras didn't even register he made it. He sighed. But then an idea came through his head. He took that glass and he came to Éponine quickly.

"Here's drink from Grantaire. Be careful," he said to her and he handed her that glass. She smiled at him.  
"Thanks," she said loudly so most people could hear it.  
"Did you saw a bottle from which he get it from?" she whispered to him.  
"Vodka," he said quickly as he turned.  
"That's alright," she laughed and she started with drinking.  
"What?!" he thought. He came to Grantaire quickly.  
"You made it!" Grantaire patted him on back.  
But then a memory flew through Enjolras' mind. His head lifted up sharply.  
"Grantaire give me that bottle!" he said to Grantaire quickly.  
"Phil! You're gonna try! I knew you'll be a great guy!" Grantaire said and he handed him a his bottle. Enjolras smelled to it. It smelled like alcohol certainly. He took a deep breath and he drank from it. Big smile appeared on his lips.  
"You see! It's great!"Grantaire took his bottle back. Enjolras had some strange feeling of Déjà vu. He was running straight to Éponine. He burst of laughing when he found her.

"You knew it!" he said to her.  
"I? No, you must be wrong," she said to him with big grin.

He returned to Grantaire quickly.  
"Would it be surprise for you, if I would say that your vodka is only water?" he asked Grantaire which was starring on him for a few seconds. Then Grantaire drank from his bottle. He gulped and his eyes were filled with anger.

"Éponine!" Angry shout of Grantaire echoed through the room.

Enjolras smiled. She did it once. It wouldn't be a problem for her to repeat it again. She changed Grantaire's alcohol once. She did it second time today. Or maybe it happened more times if Grantaire knew immediately who was responsible.  
He was watching as Grantaire tried to find Éponine but she disappeared.  
"I turned your joke against you Grantaire. Courfeyrac I know you were a part of this too. And Gavroche, you are forgiven only because of your birthday," her voice appeared from next to him. He turned to her immediately.  
"How it is possible I can't realize you?" he asked her before Grantaire came to her.  
"I don't want you to. Well, it's time to disappear. Meet me before Musain. I must escape Grantaire, Courf and Gavroche now," she said to him and he nodded before he lost the sight of her. He smiled when he saw Gavroche looking for her.  
"Did you see her?" Gavroche asked him. "I think she's hiding under some tables," he said and he stood up quickly.

He saw her shadow before Musain. "That was stunning," he laughed.  
"What, I knew they'll try something. So I prepared for it,"she smiled. It was dark night now.  
"It looks like Grantaire knew it was you," he said to her.  
"It's not the first time I did it. And not the last certainly," she told him and she started with walking again. He followed her.

These things he liked most on her. Her humor and her laughing. She wasn't laughing much. He understands why. But when she laugh it was a laugh from heart, not some false laughing most of people use when they're listening to something really boring.  
He was glad that she's with him. He was looking forward to his transformation. When he would be normal again.

But will she recognize him?

Will she believe him?

* * *

A/N  
I'll try to update next chapter at weekend.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N  
Chapter 13!  
I know it's a short one. I'll try to write longer ones but I don't promise anything.  
Thanks for reading.  
Thanks for reviewing too!  
Thanks to iwanttobeamoderndancer for following.  
So this story is slowly coming to end slowly. I think that only few chapters are needed now + epilogue. I don't want too long story.  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

They were walking through the silent streets and alleys. Streets were calm in these hours. Only few strangers with lowered heads were walking around. Her head turned to him. There was a small smile on her lips.  
"Wait me here. I have to deliver one message to one person here, okay?" she smiled at him and without waiting for respond she disappeared again.  
He sighed. He started to hate, when she just disappeared without proper explanation. She disappeared in random second only to appear in another. She was like shadow. That nickname really fit her. Shadow. She was difficult person to these things were making her Éponine. And if these things would miss, she wouldn't be that Éponine he knew. He smiled to himself at the thought, and he sat against the wall slowly.  
His eyes were watching weak light of stars. Beautiful look. His eyes moved to Sirius. It seemed to him like the star was getting closer. He laughed silently, but then his eyes widened in shock. Light was really getting closer and closer. "What is this thing?" he whispered to himself as light surrounded him.  
His eyes closed.

* * *

_When he opened them, he found himself in familiar place. Light everywhere, feelings like flying. It must be that place. And soon he spotted her. He spotted Fantine. He smiled at her.  
"Does it mean..." he started, but couldn't continue in his sentence. His voice faded away. She nodded.  
"You'll be normall again. You'll got your home back and also your money. You did well. But the biggest test lies before you," Fantine said to him with smile.  
"What is this test about?" he asked her.  
"I can't told you anything. I hope you'll do the right things," she said to him seriously.  
"But why another test? Why another exam?" he asked her quickly.  
"We want to know something. Be careful. I warned you before, I'm warning you now. Be careful with yourself and with Éponine too." Another warning. What was that supposed to mean? What will her warning mean in reality?  
"Well, thank you. You've opened my eyes," he said to her with bowed head.  
"I just brought you here. It was Éponine and her friends who opened your eyes," she smiled at him.  
"It's time to say goodbye, but I expect to see you soon," she said. And what was the meaning of this? She's waiting him? Why is she talking in riddles?  
"You'll be normal, when you'll wake up. Your home is the old one and your money will be in your pocket," she said before she made a strange hand movement. And his vision became blur once again. And it all went black._

* * *

His eyes shot open. He immediately touched his face. No scars, no burns. His hands moved to his hair. And then his eyes examined his body. He was in his old self. His body returned. He put down the cap from his head and he touched it. He did it! He learned about the poor. He made friends. More than friends.  
"I made it!" he thought to himself. Smile appeared on his lips. His fingers touched a package in his pocket. Money. In his other pocket he found a key from his house. "What magic?" he asked himself but then he froze.  
He saw her. He could recognize her fragile figure anywhere. And she was walking closer. And closer.  
He took a deep breath.

This moment is going to decide his future. Will she recognize him? Will she believe him, when she knows him only as a man who've hurt her? What'll happen? His heart war ready to jump from his chest, beating wildly.

"It's alright. It's just 'Ponine," he whispered.  
"Philip?" her voice ripped the silence between them.  
"Éponine..."he started. She came closer to him.  
"Enjolras?" she asked him in disbelief.  
"Yes," he started, but she cut him off.  
"I'm sorry, I know you were gone, but did you see one man around here? His name is Philip," she said to him still looking in every direction.  
"Éponine," he started again. She stood with her back turned to him and she was shouting his name. His first name. He grabbed her wrist, maybe more sharply, than he should. She froze, without looking at him like she was expecting what will come. His other hand get the cap in her hand and he closed it. Then he backed.  
"I'm Philip," he whispered. She was standing here still. Her hand slowly moved in front of her, fingers of her left hand touching the cap slowly.  
Then her face turned to him. He saw her brown eyes in the weak light of streetlamp filled with fear.

"You said, you love me the way I am."

This was his last chance. If she won't recognize him... What would happen if she won't? His head was ready to explode.

Her eyes slowly found his. They were looking at each other in silence.  
"Philip?" he heard her whisper.  
"Yes," he told her and he walked to her. She was still looking at him. For a few seconds he thought that she'll run away. This seconds were worse than a years as cripple. Time didn't mean anything. Everything stopped as he was expecting her reaction.

"I love you the way you are."

Her voice trembled slightly.

She embraced him tightly. He stroked her hair with his hand. Smile appeared on his lips. She believes him after all.  
He felt her body shivering. Soon he was feeling something wet on his shirt.  
"Don't cry. Everything is alright now," he whispered. His fingers lifted her head, so he could saw her beautiful brown eyes.  
"B-but how?" she asked him. He touched her bruised cheek with his hand.  
"I had to pay for my sins. I'm sorry for the things I did to you. For the problems I made you. You've opened my eyes Éponine. And that's something I'll owe you the rest of my life," he said and he kissed her softly on forehead. His thumb was catching her falling tears carefully.  
"Don't cry," he said to her again.  
"I'm sorry," she whispered.  
"For what? Éponine you did nothing wrong," he said to her.  
"I...I wasn't treating you well too. You were right in some ways," she said to him he only pulled her closer to him.  
"It's alright," he said. She was still sobbing quietly. He didn't know why. Were it tears of joice? Of fear? Or mixed with other emotions?  
"Come, it's cold here," he said to her holding her cold small hand in his. He smiled at her. She hesitantly smiled at him. Only now he understood that his look is change for her and she must get some time. She don't know him as Enjolras. She knows him as Philip.  
"If you want time, to think about everything, I'll wait," he said as they were walking out of alley.  
"It's not that. I... I just... I can't even describe it. It's strange," she squeezed his hand.  
"Everything will be alright, you'll see," he said.  
"Where are we going?" he asked her when she was heading somewhere.  
"I have to go. It's late now and I can't left Azelma home alone. Father will come and she might get hurt," she said to him. He nodded holding his anger inside him. He still didn't get through the hate, which he felt for her father.  
"Want to come with me?" she asked him with grin on her face.  
"Why not?"

So they were walking through the death streets of Paris. Dull eyes from dark corners were watching them secretly. Eyes of beggars, who didn't receive that kind of happiness as pair on the street.  
He looked at her slowly. She was starring at him.  
Memory flew through his mind and he said: "Éponine, don't stare at people like they are watermelons!" he said to her seriously. Her look was confused for a second but then she remembered.  
"Hey! Don't use this things against me!" she poked him.  
"And why not?" he laughed.  
"Because it's not funny!" she said.  
"C'mon, you know how ridiculous it was," he grinned at her.  
"Hey! I was tired and you were waking me up!" she said as her defense but Enjolras only laughed.  
"Don't worry. You're my watermelon," he said to her. She poked him again angrily.  
"It wasn't so funny," she said but he saw a small smile on her lips.  
"No? Ask Gavroche or Azelma," he laughed.  
"Traitor," she told him. They fell silent.  
"We're almost here," she said as she looked around.

Silence of the night was broken by fast stepping on pavement. Soon, the shadow appeared before them. And soon they recognized her.  
"Azelma!" Éponine shouted and she run to her sister immediately.  
"Éponine!" she shouted. "'Ponine, you must help! And what is he doing here?" she asked her with her look on Enjolras.  
"It's long story. What's happening?" she asked her quickly.  
"Father," Azelma whispered.  
"Father what?" her sister asked.  
"Father's having some... problems," she said to her sister in some kind of code. Certainly for Enjolras to don't understand. But he understood. At least, he thought he understood.  
Enjolras was looking as Éponine's eyes widened. Her eyes filled with that kind of fear he couldn't describe and her lips trembled for a second.  
"Where's he?" she asked Azelma in rush, her voice filled with something strange.  
"Behind our home," Azelma said.  
"Go to Elephant. Gavroche should be here by now," Éponine said and she was ready to go.  
"What about you?"Azelma asked her sister but already knew the answer she's going to get.  
"Don't worry about me. Go!" she said and she started running towards the place where girls and their parents are living.  
"I'm on my way then,"Enjolras said and he was pretending that he's going somewhere else. But he recognized the streets here. And he knew how to get to the place, where Éponine was heading. "Okay,"Azelma said and she disappeared.

Their father is in problems again.  
But was it that serious?  
Was it so serious that Azelma was running for Éponine?  
What did their father do?  
What consequences will it bring?

* * *

A/N  
Next chapter in a matter of few days. I have to repeat my Physics for a test and write some things on my Slovak language lesson too :)  
I'm thinking about new story now, but I think I'll take a break after ending this one and be focusing on my school. Don't worry, I think there would be at least three chapters, before I'll end this.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N  
Chapter 14!  
Thanks for reading, it's good to see, that people are still reading this.  
Well I'm going to update today, because I won't be able to update tomorrow, and I'm writing tests on Monday so...  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

He was walking as quietly as he could. He knew Éponine wouldn't be happy with his decision but he was following her. He knew he shouldn't, that it's her personal issue. But something was pulling him to her. He wanted to take care of her, to stop anyone from hurting her. He was in his skin maybe less than half an hour and she have to go to save her father from problems probably. She didn't get the time she needed to get used to him, and he didn't get the time to solve it between them, to explain her everything. Her father jumped into it.  
How he hated that man. That...bastard. He shouldn't own the right to be called father. He forced his own children into dirty things. And as gratitude for their help, he slapped them. Enjolras hated Thenárdier so much he could kill him with one look. Maybe it wasn't hate, just endless amount of anger burning inside him but he still felt like he could kill that man in matter of seconds.  
Enjolras looked at Éponine. She was worried. Her eyes told it. He heard her silent sigh as she walked to small cold dirty alley. He could hear angry voices from there. He looked from corner on situation.  
Her father was lying on ground, man above him kicking him everywhere. Alley continued to another cold street.  
"Stop it!" he heard Éponine's voice shouting. Man looked at her with grin.  
"'Ponine, I've thought that I learned you to stay out of our business," man said with raspy voice. Enjolras didn't see him before. His face was brutal without any emotion.  
Man kicked Thenárdier and turned to Éponine sharply. He grabbed her by throat and pushed her against the wall.  
"But you'll never learn how to obey 'Ponine, will you? You must always come like savior who is playing on martyr. You should learn that your father is adult and he should solve his problem on his own," his head turned to Thenárdier and he continued, "and he should not send his daughter to do dirty work instead of him!" He slapped her and threw her on cold pavement.

Enjolras froze. He realized, that this man is more dangerous than any other man he ever met. The way he treated Éponine shocked him. It was like she was nothing. A scrap of rag. He learned the brutal ways of living here, in slums, but never get used to them. He wanted to cry at one second, in other he was ready to jump in, in another he was just standing and looking without any reaction.  
"What should I do? Should I jump in? Save her...them? Should I stay here?" his head was ready to explode. He knew that if he would jump in, Éponine would sacrifice herself. That his interruption won't make things better. He sighed silently.  
Man kicked her and then turned to Thenárdier again.  
"Give me my money! Or I'll kill you and your daughter as well," his voice made Enjolras tremble. It was that kind of voice which brings goosebumps to you.  
"How much he owes you?" Éponine asked as she was lifting up.  
"Don't bring yourself in this, girl," her father snapped at her.  
"Oh, so there is some sort of father's care in him after all," Enjolras thought to himself angrily.  
Man looked at Thenárdier and then back at Éponine.  
"Be a good girl 'Ponine. Now leave this thing between us," man said sharply.  
"How much he owes you?" she repeated her question.  
"I said..." Thenárdier started but he was stopped by another kick into his stomach. Enjolras could saw blood running down his face. Not that he would care.  
"So you won't learn your place Éponine. Fine, when you wanna be a martyr I'll make you one. He owes me 500 bloody franks. I don't expect you to have it, so now we're coming to funnier part of our game," man grinned at her.  
Éponine knew that she couldn't give him that amount of money. She had less than 10 franks in her pocket. She was trying to think about something, but her mind was like fog. She couldn't think clearly. Man was reaching for his knife.  
"Your lives are worth nothing. You should thank me for ending it,"man laughed to himself and he walked to Thenárdier.  
"Take this as the price you have to pay,"man grinned and he stabbed Thenárdier with knife.

"Stop!" Enjolras shouted as he walked from corner. He couldn't hold himself anymore. Her life was in danger. His priority was to save her.  
He saw her worried look.  
"Oh, another member is going to join our little party. It's getting better, " man said. Enjolras threw 500 franks at him. It was everything he had in his pockets.  
"Go!" Enjolras said to him. Man smiled, picking the money and then he left. He grinned at Éponine when he was walking near her and he muttered something, only she could hear. But that didn't matter. She was alright. He saved her.

* * *

Éponine watched him leaving. How she hated him. He was making the hell from her life with his every visit. Her look moved to Enjolras' eyes.  
"Thank you," she whispered and then she immediately turned to her father.  
Thenárdier was lying on pavement, blood everywhere.  
"Father!" she ducked to him.  
He was sober. After long time he was sober. His hand was trying to find hers desperately. She didn't know how to react. He never showed her any care or worry about her. All he had ever done to her was beating, slapping, snapping or even worse. She just didn't expect it.  
She touched his hand carefully. He smiled at her.  
First smile after almost eight years.  
"I'm sorry."  
He felt sorry for his actions. He felt guilty. Her eyes were filling with tears slowly.  
She couldn't hate him. After all the pain he brought to her, every problem, he made her, every slap, that he gave her, she couldn't hate him. She couldn't bring herself to hate her own father.  
She loved him somewhere deep inside her. It was just hidden under all her pain which he brought.  
"Please, forgive me..."  
Her head fell down in despair. He begs her for forgiveness. After all he had done to her and to her siblings. He pities his actions. She can see it in his eyes.  
"I... forgive you," she whispered.  
She felt his other hand touching her bruised cheek. Her eyes met his.  
"Thank you. I'm sorry I hurt you," he said and his fingers touched ugly looking cut near her collar-bone. She sighed.

Why?

Why is he going to die? Now, when he's changing? But maybe only the Death opened his eyes. Maybe he wanted to repair what he could before leaving to another place. Why?  
"Tell your mother... I love her," he whispered. His breathing was weaker and weaker. His eyes moved to Enjolras.  
"And you boy... take care of Éponine. You're a good man," he said.  
Enjolras came to his side carefully. Hate and anger disappeared. Now there was only pity.  
"Can you give us your blessing?" Enjolras asked him. Thenárdier looked at him and nodded. Enjolras bowed his head.  
"I bless you. Both of you. Live lucky life. Find happiness and fortune you'll need. Take care of each other. Learn from your mistakes, but more important, learn from others mistakes. God be with you," Thenárdier said with weak coughing.  
"Thank you,"Enjolras said and he lifted his head up.  
"Please Éponine, tell Gavroche I regret the things I did to him. Tell him I love him. And tell Azelma sorry from me. I love her too," man said and his eyes closed.  
"No!" Éponine said desperately.  
"Don't forget on me. I was horrible father, but I can die with the feeling I did one thing the right way at least," Thenárdier's voice was fading. Éponine was shaking her head, tears running down her face.  
"Please don't" she whispered but then the body of her father became still. Blood stopped. Heart stopped.  
That was end of Thenárdier. One of the Paris' most famous thieves in history. And his memory lives even today.

* * *

Éponine's head fell down on her father's chest.  
"No!" she whispered again. Her face twisted from her psychical pain.  
"No!" she screamed. Her voice was full of pain, despair and sadness. She was embracing dead body. Body without a life. "Papa,"she whispered silently.  
Rain started to fall.

"He's gone 'Ponine,"Enjolras said to her softly and he came to her side.  
"I know," she said silently. She stood up sharply shaking her head.  
"What's wrong?" he asked her. He stood up too.  
"I... I just..." words wasn't coming from her lips. Like she was lost in her own thoughts and couldn't express them. He hugged her tightly.  
He didn't know Thenárdier as man. He knew him as a thief. Maybe he wasn't bad inside completely. Maybe his actions made him bad. Maybe he could have been turned to better side. But not anymore. Not after his soul left this world.  
Enjolras could feel her pain. It was her father after all. And she loved him after everything he did to her.  
Her face buried inside his shirt again this night.

"Everything must end once," he said, remembering on her own words.  
" Yes," she whispered.  
"You still have memories on him," he said, kissing her forehead softly. Rain soaked them. He felt her body shiver from cold.

"But memories won't last forever," smile sad smile appeared on her lips.

That smile, which was making him desperate.  
"They'll die with me,"she whispered and moved her look behind him. Sad smile on her lips grew bigger.

Enjolras turned and he froze immediately. There was a rose. Deep red rose illuminated only by moon and stars. Rose which was slowly dying and her petals were slowly falling down.  
_"I'm like that rose you know? Once I was beautiful and life was happy. But now I live only because I have to."  
_Her voice echoed through his head. That terrible memory which reminded him that she still didn't solve her problems which were hiding inside her heart.  
"It's time to move on,"her silent voice ripped him out of his memories. He looked into her hurt brown eyes.  
"We'll make it. Together," he said to her and he squeezed her hand. She smiled at him, but pain wasn't leaving her eyes.

"I hope you'll make it 'Ponine. I hope that you'll forget on your past,"he whispered to her after few minutes of silence.

"You can't. You can't forget on your past Philip. You can ignore it, but you'll never forget," she said to him. He was shocked. Firstly by calling him by his first name already and secondly by the way her mind was working.  
"And you can't focus on future, because without past there would be no future, no present," she leaned against the wall, her eyes closed.

He was standing here without a thought how to react. She was broken even more and nothing seemed to help. He came to her closer. She felt his presence and her eyes opened.  
He kissed her softly, hoping that it will help her. He could feel her body trembled slightly when their lips met. She was about to return him the kiss when she froze and then she just fell on ground, hands covering her face.  
"What's wrong?" he knelt to her, placing one hand on her arm.  
"We're kissing and his... corpse is still here. I.. I just.." Enjolras only now realized how awkward this situation was. He wanted to comfort her but he made only more problems.

And another one was on its way.

* * *

A/N  
Expect Chapter 15 on Monday evening or on Tuesday.  
It's only first week in school and I already hate it.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N  
Chapter 15!  
Thanks for reading.  
I'm surprised how some things changed from my original idea. But I like the way it's going.  
Sorry for my English again.  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

Enjolras turned only to see Montparnasse coming. His heart was beating wildly and he stood before Éponine. He won't let anything happen to her. Not again.

"Here we are. Nice to see you 'Ponine. And who's this? You found yourself a new bodyguard?" Montparnasse's voice rang through the empty alley. He was in dirty ragged clothes. Dark circles around his eyes told Enjolras, that he didn't sleep properly in days. Eyes were filled with hunger. Hunger for blood. His blood. And her blood.  
"Who brought you here?"Éponine asked him. He grinned.  
"Your dear friend who left you only few minutes before," he laughed.  
"Well Éponine, I don't care how much men I have to kill to reach you. You cannot hide from your fate forever. You should stood up and face it. I paid your father for you a long time ago. Oh, I see that he finally got a lesson. No one could protect you now," his face grinned. Enjolras stopped Éponine from jumping at him. He could saw the deadly amount of anger and hurt in her eyes.  
"Don't," he whispered and he faced Montparnasse.

"What do you want from her?! You only hurt her!" he shouted angrily.  
"You, stay away from this. This is only between me and Éponine. And she knows she belongs to me!" Montparnasse said.  
"She doesn't belong to anyone!" Enjolras spat at him.  
"I said stay away from this!" Montparnasse was walking closer. He threw Enjolras on pavement and his filthy hand grabbed Éponine's. She was trying to free herself but it was worth nothing. Montparnasse slapped her and she fell on ground.  
"You betrayed me! How dared you!" he shouted at her coming closer. Enjolras lifted himself up. He jumped on Montparnasse's back.  
"You!" he shouted and he decided to push Enjolras against the wall. Enjolras only now understood what is Montparnasse about to do. He gasped as he was pushed to wall with all the strength Montparnasse had. And Montparnasse did it again. And again.  
Enjolras fell to the ground gasping. His lungs were burning.  
"I said stay away boy. But you're too stubborn I see," Montparnasse said kicking him. Enjolras could saw Éponine's hands grabbing Montparnasse and pulling him away.  
"You little slut!"Montparnasse shouted and threw her away. Loud groan came when he hit her to stomach. Then he turned to Enjolras again, dagger shining in his hand.  
"I don't care how much of your kind will come and try to help her. I don't care. I'll kill them. I'll kill everyone!" Montparnasse told him. Enjolras stood up quickly. There was no way to get out from this mess.  
"So Death is coming. But why now? Why now, when everything can be perfect?" he asked himself in his mind. He looked at Montparnasse's almost black eyes and saw no pity. Enjolras was lost and he knew it. But he was Enjolras. And he shouldn't give up till the end.  
Montparnasse's hand with dagger lifted. He closed his eyes preparing himself for his last seconds.  
"I'm sorry Éponine," he whispered, but the pain didn't come. His eyes shot up to see Éponine grabbing Montparnasse's hand. Montparnasse turned to her, dagger still in his hand. And time seemed to slow down.

Enjolras could saw Montparnasse's dagger entering her stomach. Blood splashed out of her body, covering Montparnasse and ground around, mixing with her father's blood. Soft moan escaped her lips and rough laugh escaped from Montparnasse's. He threw her on ground.

"Go!" Enjolras heard her shout and time returned to normal. He looked around himself. He couldn't go to alleys, he still didn't know them. And Montparnasse would catch him. He must find a place where he can stood against him.  
His eyes found a ladder to some roofs. As his body moved his mind shattered. She's going to die. She sacrificed herself. How stupid he was to let her do it.  
He climbed up the ladder. Roof was slippery from the rain, which was still falling down. He grabbed near wooden club to defend himself. He was waiting for Montparnasse to climb up, but he wasn't coming.  
He leaned over the roof, but that was mistake. Montparnasse waited only for this moment. He jumped up and knocked him out, in less than five seconds. Wooden club fell down on ground.  
He was without help. Without a weapon. He was left to Death. But Montparnasse seemed to enjoy his last moments.

"You've thought that you can save her? You've thought that you can kill me? C'mon boy. Just look at you!" Montparnasse was coming closer. Enjolras backed, lying on roof more from instinct than willingly.  
"She won't die. I'll take care of that. She won't die and she'll suffer for her actions!" Montparnasse grinned at him.  
"You love her don't you? How sad end of romance," Montparnasse sighed with pretended care. Then he laughed on his own jokes. Thunder and lighting stroked illuminating two shadows on roof.

"How could you do that to her? I can see you love her too! So why are you making her suffer?!" Enjolras screamed in despair. Something flew through Montparnasse's eyes, but it disappeared immediately.  
"She chose her way. I chose mine," he answered and his hand with dagger lifted again. Enjolras closed his eyes, ready for death to come. He was ready to follow Éponine. They'll die. Both of them. At least they'll die together. He was waiting for final blow to come.  
His ears registered fast patting on roof. No! She can't!  
His eyes shot open. Lightning lighted a shadows before him. A hand with dagger. Fragile frame of girl's body. Thunder stroked and hand fell down exactly in girl's chest.  
Not a voice escaped her lips. Dark shadow pulled the dagger out of her body.  
Everything fell silent.

"No!" Enjolras' desperate scream pierced the silence. Montparnasse's hand fell down, dagger escaping his fingers.  
"What have I done?!" he shouted as he backed. His eyes were filled with horror.  
"No... no!" his voice softened. He turned around and he ... jumped.

"No!" Enjolras lifted himself up quickly, only to saw Montparnasse's body crashing down on cold pavement.  
He immediately turned to Éponine. She was smiling, blood splashing from her mortal wounds.  
"Éponine," he whispered as he knelt to her.  
"It's over now," she whispered with her sad smile.  
"No! Éponine please, you'll live!" he said desperately.  
"I'm going for help hold on!" he shouted. Why? Why it must be happening. Why was he turned back to normal when she's about to be ripped away from his reach. Why must everything bring only pain and more suffering.  
"No... Please don't leave me alone. I don't want to die alone..." she whispered.  
"But you may live... I'm gonna get help!"  
"It's too late. I'm dying and no one can stop it," she said.  
Rain was slowly falling down mixing up with her dark crimson blood. "Everything must end once," she whispered, coughing weakly.  
"You can't leave Éponine. Please don't leave me," he whispered tears falling down from his eyes. Her cold hand found his. "Philip, please... It has to be done. I'll be with you... I promise...," she whispered. He hugged her.  
She can't die! This blow was meant to be his. Why?  
She was the one deserving life. He was the one who should be dead. She helped him. She cared for her friends. She did everything to keep them safe. She sacrificed herself for them. She gave up her life for their sake.  
"I don't feel any pain, don't worry," she said to him with light smile.  
"You can't 'Ponine," he whispered his hand pushing on her wounds. But the blood wasn't going to stop.  
"I'm taking leave, taking flight... Don't cry for me. My time has come," she smiled at him.  
"I love you! Please..."  
"I love you too. But I can't... There's only one way out of this prison called life. It's death. I'm sorry, but I already stepped on this way. I'm sorry..."  
"Don't be. You didn't choose that way," he cried. Removing his stained blood from her wounds.

She never bent. She was always the one standing, helping others. She knew what'll happen even before it happen.  
She gave him hope, when hope was gone, without paying back. She was giving but never taking. She always found some time for him, her siblings, other boys or Amis. She pulled them before herself. And now... she's dying.  
"I will be with you... always... Promise me you'll remember. Promise me you won't forget me."  
"Éponine, I... promise," his head lowered.  
Memories were running through his head. How he always loved her smile. How they laughed at each other. Now it's going to end.  
"Tell Gavroche and Azelma... I love them. Tell my mother... what happened and that I love her too. Take care of them... please," she whispered, her eyes slowly closing.  
"No!"  
"Kiss me one last time," she whispered. And he did it. He kissed her with all his pain, sorrow, sadness, despair and every other emotions he felt. Her hand was in his hair, slowly falling down. He didn't broke the kiss. It was her who did it. Or that what remains of her. Her soul left her body. And her body became still.  
He screamed.  
Citizens of Paris didn't remember worse scream than this. It was more like beast's than human's scream.  
He took her body in his arms, embracing it, kissing her forehead, crying.  
" Please, don't die," he whispered but knew, it's end.  
His heart wasn't heart anymore. It was some damaged piece of human organ without any emotion. Shattered.  
How can he live without her?

Why is this world so cruel? Why people, who should be dead a long time ago live and those who deserve living are dying?!

He looked at his blood stained hands stained with her blood.

"Fantine!" he screamed. "Bring her back! Make me beast again! Make me even worse than beast just bring her back!" he shouted. His head lowered and he just cried.

It was over.  
There was no hope.  
He can die now...

But he promised her! He promised he'll tell her family what happened. He promised that  
he'll take care of them. Why? Why this torture?  
"Come back to me!" he whispered to her body. She left him alone in this world.

_"I'll be with you... I promise..."_

"But where are you?"  
He stood up slowly, blood on his clothes. His head turned as lightning striked.  
"Fantine please. Kill me, if it's necessary just let her live!" he whispered his head turned to dark sky.

Her name was Éponine. Her life was cold and dark yet she was unafraid.

_"I'm like that rose you know? Once I was beautiful and life was happy. But now I live only because I have to." _

He was like that rose too. Once life was happy. But now... Only thing that holds him is his promise. Promise to her.

Promise to Éponine Thenárdier.

_Promise me you'll remember. Promise me you won't forget me._

"I will," he whispered silently. People say, that wounds will be healed by time. But not this kind of wounds. This wounds will stay open in his heart forever.

His life has ended by the second her soul left. Nothing could heal him now when she was gone.  
He was trapped in endless night. Night without end, without light on its end. She saved his life and yet, by saving him, she killed him even so. Sun wasn't shining in his life anymore. Cold, dark, still... His new world. One million black holes in his heart didn't seem to fill up again. Waste of time. They'll stay there forever. Lost in his new world of darkness, he was climbing down the ladder.

He ignored everything in his way.

It's end! So what should he do! How can he live? He's dying inside. He's like Miseráble. Dull eyes, cold look, still body. Nothing seemed to help. Everything was leading back to her. Every stone, street, streetlamp, alley... they all lead only back to her face.

He fell down on his knees. "I'm monster in human skin! Fantine! Why are you doing this to me? Just tell my why! Bring her back! Give her back her life and take my stupid life away!"

_"I love you the way you are and even if you don't love me I'll love you_ forever."

But how is possible to love, when you're gone? He remembered on his mother which once told him:  
If you love someone, let him go. If he returns, he's yours forever. If he won't, he was never yours.

He let her go. But how can she return back from Death? How it is possible?

Lightning stroked.

And his eyes closed.

Tear fell on the ground, crashing. Exactly like his heart.

Crashed.

Everything must end once. And his life too.

* * *

A/N  
I'm such a horrible person to let you wait for another chapter aren't I?  
I forgot to tell you that I love tragedies.  
Next chapter tomorrow.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N  
Chapter 16!  
Thanks for reading.  
Thanks to Ella-Starstruck for following  
After this chapter there would be another one + epilogue probably.  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

His eyes closed.

There was nothing left now. She was gone.

"Come to me, where chains will never bind you. All your grief at last at last behind you..." woman's voice was singing inside his head.  
"Is she inviting me to death? Is she talking about dying?" his thoughts raced through his head.  
"But... I can't die... I promised! I promised that I'll take care of them!"  
He was torn. One side of his shattered heart wanted to be with her desperately. In another place, where everything can be perfect. The other one wanted to fulfill his promise to her.  
"She'll be with me," he sighed, his eyes still closed.  
"I can't surrender now. Her sacrifice would be good for nothing. I'll leave, when my times come. Éponine will wait for me," and with this he opened his eyes.

But he wasn't in cold street anymore.

He was in light place. Too familiar place. And too familiar person was standing before him.  
"Fantine!" he shouted and he was walking to her.  
"Why! Why did you do it! Why did you let her die!"he shouted desperately.  
"Enjolras, life is not easy. She wasn't scared of death. You shouldn't be scared about what happened to her,"she said to him calmly.  
"But why her? Why not me? I was ready to die!" he shouted.  
"You were ready to die for her but you weren't ready for death itself. You are still scared," Fantine said to him softly but he just shook his head.  
"You know, the life of people who are least afraid of Death, is worth a largest prize."  
"Where's she?! Bring her back! Please!" he came to her and looked at her desperately.  
"What's done it's done," she answered. His eyes widened. His last hope was slowly fading.  
"No! Please Fantine! Make me monster again, kill me! Just bring her back," he fell on his knees before her.  
"I can't," she whispered.  
"Please..." he gave her a pleading look.

"I can't do it alone Enjolras. You must help me," she smiled at him lightly.  
It was a while after he registered her words. His yes widened. He stood up to hug her, but his fingers found empty air. She smiled at him. "I'm not living person. You cannot touch me," she laughed.  
"You said that you can do it? With my help? I'll do anything to bring her back!"he said to her.  
"Well, how would I tell it to you. Éponine never died," she said.  
"What? She died! She died right in my arms because of me!" he answered.  
"We let you see what we wanted you to see," Fantine said and walked a few steps to him.  
"What?" he didn't understand anything.  
"I don't know how to explain it to you... It was like dream. A vision. You acted on your own will but it wasn't happening in reality, both of you have the memories of it inside you," she said.  
"But why? What it brings to you?" he said, trying to hold his emotions in him. He felt... little anger inside him but he couldn't let it escape because who knows what would happen after that.  
"Look, we wanted to find out if you've changed. And we saw that you didn't change completely. But your strong passion finally weakened and you started to understand the world the way it is. And that's important for us. You were ready to sacrifice your life in exchange for hers. You didn't surrender to death after it and you were ready to fulfill your promise. I can say you've changed for better in much ways," she said with smile on her lips.  
"Wait, you wan't to say that this was the exam you told me about?" his eyes grew bigger again.  
"Yes. You've passed."  
"And what does it mean?"  
"That your old body is yours. That your property is yours again. But remember, your friends are still thinking you left them and disappeared," she said to him carefully.  
"You'll wake up on that street where you were before. I hope that this will help you in future," Fantine said watching him. "Thank you... For all you've done for me... us. I don't know how to thank you enough," he said to her stretching his hand to her even when he knew, they cannot touch. Fantine stretched her hand to his and they shook it even without touch.  
"Well, remember on me when you'll have some free time," she said smiling. "Maybe I'll allow you to visit me. You're good person inside."  
And with that she sent him back to reality. To his dreams. To Éponine.

* * *

He opened his eyes quickly. Joy was burning inside him and he felt like he could fly if he want. She lives. She didn't die. His hope wasn't lost. He couldn't describe his feelings.  
If someone has to pick up the luckiest person on Earth in that moment, Enjolras would win certainly. His eyes were shining, and lips were formed in big smile. He didn't even have to look at himself to know, that he's normal again. Everything he wanted to see now was her.  
He wanted to see Éponine living with her smile. He wanted to hear her voice, to see her face again. He wanted to see things he said goodbye to before.  
He stood up quickly, walking in alley only to see her. When he saw her dark shadow in dark his heart triumphed. He was watching everything on her. He was watching her like he saw her for first time in his life. She was walking to him.

"Éponine!" he shouted, voice filled with happiness. She stopped suddenly. And then it hit him. She don't know it's him!  
"It's me Philip!" he said , walking to her quickly.  
"Enjolras?" she asked him.  
"No, look. I'm Philip!" he said removing cap from his head, giving it to her hands. She took it slowly from him.  
"Philip..." she whispered.  
Then her eyes met his. How he missed her deep brown eyes, when he remembered that he might not see them anymore. "Please, believe me," he whispered, looking at her. Maybe it was his eyes which made her trust. Eyes don't lie.  
Small smile appeared on her lips. She gave him that cap back.  
"I said I'll love you the way you are. And I won't betray you," she said and she hugged him tightly. He smiled and he embraced her too.  
"You know you still have to explain me how you became Enjolras suddenly?" she asked him her face buried in his shirt. He laughed.  
"It's a long story..."  
"And we have a plenty of time," she cut him off sitting down on pavement. She hesitantly smiled at him and she lowered her head. He had this strange feeling of Déjà vu again. She still takes him as Enjolras. And it'll take some time for her to trust him completely.  
"Well," he started sitting next to her, " It all started the night I had a argument with you. Now don't laugh at me because it's true okay?" he said to her.  
"I trust you. Don't worry," she grinned at him. After all she knew him as Enjolras before. And she knows him as Philip too. So Philip Enjolras may be still new to her but she was getting used to it quickly.  
"I've met a guardian angel. And she helped me. She was the one who turned me to cripple. She gave me one ultimatum. I had to find one person who'll like me the way I am. She was only trying to taught me. Then I found you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you truth about me. I just didn't know what to do..." he lowered his head.  
"It's alright. I understand. I wouldn't know what to do either... " she smiled at him and her hand touched his slowly. "Continue."  
"Well, I didn't believe I'll find someone. I gave my last hope into you. I hoped that while you'll be teaching me you'll start to like me. I'm sorry. I just..." his voice stopped.  
"It's alright. I know you feel like you used me but don't. I was the one who agreed. I was the one who brought you to my life. It was my choice. Don't blame yourself," she said, squeezing his hand. His eyes found hers.  
"I...well I was with you, boys, Amis and I learned about my mistakes. I'm sorry for the things I did to you. I'm sorry for the things I did to anyone around me," he whispered silently. He turned his head away, unable to look at her. He felt her cold hand on his cheek. She slowly turned his face to her.  
"I wasn't better," she said. He was watching her, speechless.  
"But you..."  
"Philip, please. I wasn't better. I was arguing with you too..."  
"But I weren't listening!" They were cutting themselves from sentences. They fell silent when they realize that.  
"Well, everybody made mistakes," she said silently.  
"But how did it end?"  
"Time was passing and I fell in love with you... And world was changing around me. I understand now what you were talking about that night when we had that argument... I'm sorry for my stubbornness. Well and now, when you left, guardian angel visited me. She was visiting me all the time I was transformed. She said to me that it's time and she transformed me. Did you had some sort of dream or vision this night?" he asked her slowly. She was looking at him, then she nodded.

"I had. A strange one. And you were in it too. It started similarly to this, truth be told. You've changed from monster. Then I went to help my father... You followed me. And the strangest was that I died. Like everything went black, face of some woman appeared and then it ended. It scared me a lot. I had a dreams where I died but non of it was that live I believed in it. This was... different. Like I died for real. Like I'm not going to wake up. Why are you asking this?"  
"Because the same happened to me. It was last part of my exam. Then guardian angel explained to me why I had to do it. And I'm glad I could be turned into that cripple after all. Who knows what would happen if I would stay like the Marble Statue?" he said. He knew what would happen. They would die.  
Her head turned to him.  
"Who knows..." she repeated. Then she stood up slowly.  
"You know what was strange?" she asked him suddenly.  
"What?" he asked her.  
"When I walked this streets again and I saw you. I thought that it's happening all over again and I'll die again," she said. He stood up and he hugged her.  
"That was the worst seconds of my life. The moments when you were dying were so... I was just desperate. I wanted to end up my life too," he whispered into her hair.  
Her face lifted up. They were really close to each other. She smiled still quite hesitantly.

"So, is it a happy ending after all?" she asked him smiling. He smiled at her too.  
"I hope so," he answered, closing his eyes and leaning closer to her.  
They lips met.  
And for a first moment in his lifetime he felt the power of pure love. She loved him the way he was. And that was important. More important than money, home or properties. To have friends and something more than friend was worth more than all the money king owned.  
No one wanted to broke their kiss. No one attempted to. She was the one who backed.  
"Everything must end once," she smiled at him, grabbing his hand.  
"You know, I'm starting to hate that sentence," he groaned. She shook her head smiling.  
"We should go. You're going before court tomorrow. You should prepare yourself,"she said seriously to him.  
"What! What court?" he asked her shocked.  
"Amis," she laughed at his expression and she started walking out of the alley.  
"Hey!" he shouted at her as he was trying to catch her.

He was happy. He was happy that she was here with him. That he found love. Love he once thought was useless and good for nothing. How wrong he was.  
He smiled to himself.  
She was his rose. But not the one which is living because she had to. But the one which lives to make others happy.  
She was his rose of happiness. And he isn't going to lose her. He's going to live for her till the end will come.  
So he followed his rose of happiness through the streets of Paris.  
Stars were shining down on them, reminding them of they hard way.  
But it was worth of it.  
His heart was healed again. She was his medicine, his healer, his life. Without her the world turned black. Without her his world cannot go on turning. His world was now full of happiness. Happiness that he had never known until now.

"I love you the way you are," he whispered to himself.  
Her voice whispered from beside him: "And even if you don't love me, I'll love you forever."

* * *

A/N  
I forgot to tell you (again) that I love tragedies, but I love tragedies with happy endings more!  
So next chapter would be here on Thursday probably. I should be able to post it. And you'll have to wait for Epilogue to Friday.  
Tests in school weren't so bad after all.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N  
Chapter 17!  
Thanks for reading and reviewing!  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

She smiled at him pushing him in front of the door. They were before Musain. They didn't sleep last night. They were sitting and watching stars. But as the night ended and morning sun raised Éponine decided to go.  
Now, few hours later, they were standing before Musain, Éponine waiting for him to enter.  
"Don't worry. I'll be with you," she smiled and pushed him again. He sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want to meet Amis, now that his body was normal. He still felt guilty for his mistakes from past. He slowly took one step forward. Then another.  
He opened the door, holding them and waiting for Éponine to enter too. "Now you're gentleman, " she laughed slightly at his manners. He rolled his eyes and he slowly walked up the stairs.  
When Amis spot him, they fell silent. They were looking at him like he was a ghost. Éponine appeared behind him, smile still on her lips.

"Now I really swear, I'm not drinking till my death come," Grantaire said, his mouth left open.  
"Éponine, tell us that this is reality...," Combeffere said, walking to them. Enjolras didn't hide his smile. Combeffere's hand stretched to him, and touched his arm.  
"Enjy!" Grantaire shouted as Combeffere hugged him.  
"You're stupid! You scared us to death! Don't you dare to try this again!" Combeffere said to him.  
"Let's celebrate this!" Grantaire shouted, but was met with loud shouting.  
"No!"  
"Why?!" Grantaire asked them. Joly sighed.  
"You said you're not going to drink anymore. And after Marius' celbration it isn't the best idea..." Joly said taking one of Grantaire's bottles away. Enjolras sat next to them.  
"What happened on Marius' wedding celebration after we left?" Enjolras asked, looking at all faces of his friends, which were patting him on back, or shaking his hand.  
"Wait... You said that you were here?" Feuilly asked him suddenly. Heads of all Amis turned to him waiting for his explanation. His eyes were trying to find Éponine. She was sitting at corner, smiling at him.  
"Well...you remember on one cripple man?" he asked them, trying to sound as normal as he could.  
"He brought you here? But why didn't you tell us?" Grantaire asked him, his bottle already open.  
"No... How would I say it... I was that cripple," he said. Everyone fell silent. And then Grantaire burst into laughing. Enjolras looked at him, others already understood that he means it.  
"Well, Grantaire you were the one forcing me to bring your drinks to Éponine last night..." Enjolras started. Grantaire gave him a shocked look.  
"Wait, like you are Phil? That is not possible. You are marble statue, then you would have never agreed to that prank on Éponine," he said and he turned his head to Éponine quickly.  
"And you! Don't you ever dare to change my bottles again!" he said and his attention turned back to Enjolras. Enjolras saw a quick smirk on Éponine's lips. He knew she isn't going to it give up with Grantaire.  
"But how? You were looking really differently..." Bahorel stated.  
"Do you believe on miracles?"Enjolras answered on his question with another question. When he noticed several nods he said: "Well, this was a miracle."

"But tell me what happened at celebration. We left quite early," he said after a seconds of silence.  
"So Éponine was with you all the time. Did she know about you being Enjolras?" someone asked him.  
"No I didn't," she answered for herself from the corner. Enjolras smiled at her.  
"Hey! You two are hiding something!" Grantaire shouted suddenly.  
"What?" Enjolras asked him.|  
"You actually smiled on someone. And you were smiling at her from the moment you two came here. I know! You are in love!" Grantaire stated proudly.  
Enjolras was left speechless. What should he say to him? Éponine's laugh echoed through the room. Soon Amis joined and Enjolras laughed too.  
"Whatever happened when you weren't here, had changed you." Courfeyrac said to him.  
"She changed me," he said in his mind. It wasn't right time to tell Amis about their relationship. They were together only for a short time and they still had to solve some problems.  
"But tell me what happened finally. I'm pretty surprised you aren't that drunk after last night" Enjolras was demanding an answer for is question.  
"Well, we made Marius drunk and Grantaire brought himself in it and Cosette and Marius ended up arguing. Well, I hope they solved it,"Joly explained.  
"I still can't believe it's you," Courf said looking at him. Enjolras lowered his head.  
" I'm sorry for the problems I made you guys. I'm ending the revolution today. I know the people won't rise. I learned it on streets," he said to them. They were looking unbelievably at him, their mouth open.  
"Wait, what?" Combeffere asked him.  
"I said it. No revolution," he repeated. Amis were silent. And then,all of them were clapping their hands and whislting triumphantly.  
"Good! This needs celebration. C'mon guys!" Grantaire shouted.  
"You know what Grantaire? I think I found you someone who will stop you drinking," Enjolras said, watching Éponine. She was sitting at corner, but he knew for certain that she wasn't here before second. She grinned at him.  
"Are you mad? No one can teach me that!" Grantaire laughed at him drinking from his bottle. A second letter he spat it all around.  
"What?Vinegar? Like really?" Grantaire shouted and started looking around.  
"Where is she? When I find her she'll..." he started.  
"Change your bottles again and again," she smiled from the corner on other side of the room. Enjolras smiled at her. All the Amis were watching Grantaire's shouts at her. She shrugged and smiled first at Grantaire then at him too.  
"You're really smiling too much at each other," a voice from behind Enjolras said. He turned to face Jehan.  
"I can see that there is much more than a friendship between you," he said with light smile on his lips.  
Enjolras came to his side and said silently: "Please, don't tell anyone. We still have to solve some things," Jehan nodded. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me," he smiled. Enjolras patted him on back.

Things went back to normal. It was good to be normal again, but he somehow missed the live with boys in Elephant. He missed that freedom. Now, he was in higher class. It seemed to him as he was getting away from boys in Elephant or from Éponine. But he knew she won't let him go.  
He shot a quick look at her. She stood up and walked to them.  
"I have to go," she said and greeted the Amis.  
"Don't get into trouble!" Enjolras shouted at her. He caught her grin and then she disappeared from his sight.  
"So, are we having a celebration?" Grantaire asked.  
"No, not the one with alcohol. Lets make a silent celebration," Enjolras sighed. He was met with the glares.  
"Celebration without wine? Are mad Enjy?" someone shouted. Soon others joined.  
"Okay, okay. Have your celebration, but I have to go for now," he said and left them laughing.

She was waiting for him before the Musain.  
"Well, you were quick," she stated when she saw him.  
"They wanted another celebration. Nothing for me," he said to her. She nodded with smile on her lips.  
"So, where are you heading?" he asked her, when he realized her moving.  
"To see boys and then to check if Azelma's alright after this night," she answered.  
"Wait!" he shout at her. She was really quick and he had to run to catch her.  
"Is Philip really your first name?" she asked him suddenly. He stopped himself.  
"Well yes, but..."  
"But it's normal name! Why don't you use it?" she laughed.  
"You don't know what it means..."  
"It can't be so bad. Look at me. I'm named after some girl from romance book my mother once read. Did you know that my mother wanted Azelma to be named Gulnare? Thanks God that she named her after some other character," Éponine laughed and she turned to him.  
"But I like to call you Enjolras though," she said and turned around again to continue.

Soon he recognized the streets around him. He felt like he wasn't here for years even when he was here yesterday.  
"How do you know that Gavroche is here?" he asked her suddenly. Her head turned to him.  
"Let's say it's a siblings instinct," she laughed and she walked to Elephant.  
"Gavroche!" she shouted. Little boy appeared almost immediately.  
"You had just luck," Enjolras teased her from behind. She didn't respond to him, but corners of her lips moved up slightly. "'Ponine!" Boy shouted and started to climb down the ladder. When he spotted Enjolras he stopped.  
"Wait, what?" he asked.  
"Well, meet Philip Enjolras," Éponine said laughing. Gavroche's look told that he still don't understand.  
"Gavroche, it's me, really. It's just hard to explain it. I was looking like cripple to pay for my mistakes. I'm really sorry," he said to younger boy. Gavroche looked at him and his eyes widened.  
"Well, you want to say to me that you were Enjolras all that time and you didn't tell me?" he asked him and Éponine too.  
"I didn't know about it Gavroche. I found out only last night," Éponine explained to him. She moved closer to him and gave him two franks in his hand.  
"Buy something," she said. He hesitantly looked at her and then stretched his hand back to her.  
"Take it. You need it more than I," he said. She took his hand into her and she moved it to his pocket.  
"Keep it then," she smiled. Gavroche looked at her, ready to argue but she cut him off immediately.  
"I won't discuss it with you now," she whispered to him. Enjolras smiled at them. His hand reached his pocket and he gave another five franks to Gavroche.  
"Take it as a birthday gift," he said. Gavroche looked at him.  
"Manners Gavroche!" she said when he was just standing there staring at Enjolras.  
"Uh... Thank you," he said.  
"It is really you," boy stated after observing Enjolras completely. Enjolras smiled at him. Everything seemed to be just okay. His life was getting to normal again. But there were still problems. And one of them was Éponine's father.

* * *

Few days later

Éponine was waiting for him to come. She was hoping that he isn't drunk too much. As the front door opened her heart stopped. Azelma was in safe place for now. Éponine sent her to Elephant. She couldn't risk that her father can beat her. She took a deep breath.  
"Father," she started.  
"What do you want?" he asked her as he was walking closer and closer. Skin touched skin with loud slap. Éponine found herself on ground. Again.  
"What do you want you ungrateful bitch?" he snapped at her, kicking her into ribs.  
"He isn't very sober," she thought to herself. She gasped when first kick came to her ribs. She was used to this kind of pain. She deceived it day by day.  
"Your blessing," she said when she caught her breath. He stopped suddenly looking into her eyes.  
"Repeat those words again!" he shouted at her, pulling her up. He pushed her against the wall his hand holding her neck tightly. She could feel alcohol from his breath again.  
"Your... blessing," she said as loud as she could. Her throat was burning inside. She was breathing unsteady hoping, that he would release her, but his grip tightened. She was trying to free herself, but nothing seemed to help.  
"My blessing," he whispered.  
"Father please..." she breathed. Her hands which were trying to free her fell down. She met his eyes and then her eyes closed. And then she fell on ground catching her breath. He released her. Her hands immediately moved to her neck, eyes opened a little. She could saw his figure with his hand in front of him.  
"My... blessing," he whispered. Then he leaned over her, gently placing his hands on her body.  
"Did I hurt you too much?" he asked her. First thing she realized were his eyes. They changed. They weren't dull like they were all the time. Now they were filled with emotions. Guilty mostly.  
"No," she whispered lifting herself up slowly.  
"I'm sorry," he said to her.  
"Please father. I think I've found the right man for me. Don't worry. If you want money, I'll be able to bring you some," she said but he shook his head.  
"No, not anymore... You deserve a better life. I won't hurt you more," he said to her.  
"But father, please, don't hurt Azelma or Gavroche either,"she said. He nodded and after long pause he said.  
"Then you have my blessing. Go with the man you love. But don't forget me. Don't forget your mother here, please," he said to her. He was still stinking from alcohol but he was thinking like sobber man.  
"Thank you... Thank you and I won't forget you. I love you father and mother too. I'll come to visit you sometimes," she smiled. He turned his look from her.  
"Go now then. And tell Azelma and Gavroche I'm sorry," he said and he disappeared in another room.  
Éponine sighed. Why his eyes didn't open earlier? Why he was always drunk father who was beating his children? She slowly walked out from the house where she spent almost half of her life.  
She stepped out and she stepped out from her past life too. She won't forget anything. Forgetting on past surely isn't easy. But she has finally found happiness. With her happiness forgetting seemed easier. But she knew she won't forget on everything. That somethings will remain in her heart. And only death is going to take it away.

But not now. Certainly not now.

* * *

A/N  
Next chapter tomorrow.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N  
So, Chapter 18!  
I would like to thank everyone who read this story, gave him a chance.  
I would like to thank to my followers too. Thank you!  
I'm glad that there are people who clicked on Favorite story too. Thank you!  
Thanks to all my reviewers too. It's good to hear other's people opinion and all of reviews helped me to write another and then another chapter.  
I won't be too long now. Another note in the end.  
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

"And that Rose, is how I and you mother met," his voice rang through the cold winter street.  
"Well, that was most beautiful story I've heard father," his daughter told him, making him smile.  
Enjolras, now seventy years old man was going side by side with his daughter. He has three kids with Éponine. Frances, the oldest one, Patrick, the younger and Rose, the youngest one. Frances was forty five now, with her own family, Patrick 42 years old was lawyer, with beautiful wife and with children too. Rose, the youngest one was 34 years old, with husband and two children. She was the exact copy of her mother. Only her eyes were blue.  
Memories were floating through Enjolras' mind. Memories on the things which happened after she obtained blessing from her father.

* * *

_Years passed and Enjolras was happy with his life. Éponine was sitting at his __side __but on her stomach visible now. They were expecting baby. Their first baby._  
_When they told Amis they were celebrating three days without a break. Enjolras just smiled at them, drinking glass of wine, which Éponine brought him. He trusted her with it.  
Joly as a doctor now, explained her everything she needed to know. _  
_Now, after the celebrations, Amis were sober, but good atmosphere wasn't fading. _  
_"I still can't believe it!" Courfeyrac said coming closer.  
"Can I?" he asked, pointing on bump on Éponine's stomach. She smiled at him and nodded.  
"Sure."_  
_Combeffere gently placed his hand on bump.  
"It's like there is small Enjolras inside!" he said with big smile.  
"Or Éponine," Enjolras said.  
"Or both of us," Éponine laughed and Enjolras eyes widened.  
"You mean like twins?" he said shocked. Éponine laughed but answered.  
"Don't worry, Joly told me that there's only one kid. Don't ask me how he found out. I didn't understand a word he said!"_  
_"Hey! It's really easy..." Joly started.  
"Don't try it again!" Éponine said desperately. Joly finally understood that it isn't worth trying.  
"How are Gavroche and Azelma?" Combeffere asked.  
"They're well. Gavroche is with boys now. And Azelma is even better then I with Grantaire making stop drinking. They're making a good couple," Éponine answered smiling.  
"I still don't understand it. They're so different," Jehan sighed.  
"Well and what's new with Marius and Cosette?We didn't see them for a while," Enjolras asked, watching the faces of Amis. "Well, they're quite busy with Colette and Nicholas. You know, twins," Bahorel said.  
"Did they called them Colette and Nicholas? Really?" Enjolras asked.  
"Yes and what name you have for your kid?" Feuilly asked.  
"We don't have any right now," Éponine smiled at them.  
"I bet that it will be something with France or Patria!" Bousset shouted from behind. Amis laughed, with Éponine too, but Enjolras' face was serious._

_"What Enjy, you would like to name your kid Patria?" Courfeyrac teased._  
_"No, I just like the name Frances, if it's a girl," he felt Éponine's warm hand on his shoulder._  
_"Then we will name her Frances," she smiled._  
_"You like it?" "Yes, everything is better than name our child after novel character," she smiled at him._  
_"Stop this! I'm not going to let my godchild named after France okay?"Courfeyrac shouted. Combeffere patted him on shoulder._  
_"Do you know that the place of godfather is actually reserved?" he asked._  
_"No! You?"Courf asked._  
_"Yes," Combeffere smiled._  
_"Is it true?" Courf asked shocked._  
_"Well, yes," Enjolras answered with smile._  
_"Don't worry Courf, you can be godfather to another of our children," Éponine smiled at him. Enjolras turned to her immediately._  
_"You want another child?" he asked shocked._  
_"Why not?" she answered laughing._

_He stayed silent still thinking about it.__ He never imagined his family. He has never thought about something as family. When he decided to marry Éponine, it was the first time he thought about it. Now here he is, with his family growing and growing._

* * *

Now when he was walking through the streets, with his daughter by his side, he thought about how his family have grown. He and Éponine have three kids. He never thought that he would live to his seventy years. He always thought he will die young. He smiled to himself. How wrong he was.

* * *

_Éponine and Enjolras were sitting on bench, watching their daughter and son running around. She rested on his shoulder. This afternoon was beautiful and calm._  
_Their daughter had eleventh birthday yesterday and they were glad they are out of loudness of the Musain and Amis. _  
_Enjolras' hand was placed on her growing stomach. She smiled at him.  
"Did you think about name?"he asked her softly. She smiled at him, her head lifting up from his shoulder.  
"I didn't. How would you like to call her?" she asked him with light smile.  
"Her? Why her? How do you know it's girl?" he smiled at her.  
"Motherly instinct!" she laughed.  
"I felt it when I was pregnant with Frances and with Patrick too. So I'm probably right," she grinned at him.  
"You've won again," he sighed.  
"But I would like you to choose her name. I've chosen names for Frances and Patrick, you should choose name for this little beauty " he said placing his hand on her stomach again.  
_  
_"Mummy! Daddy! Look!" Patrick was shouting. Frances was running behind him smiling.  
"Look!" he said and he placed a bounch of flowers into Éponine's hand. Frances made the same but she gave flowers to Enjolras.  
"They're beautiful just like you," Éponine smiled and hugged her children.  
"Thank you," she smiled at them. Patrick and Frances looked at each other with big smiles on their lips.  
"Now, who wants to get a cake from aunt Musichetta?" Enjolras asked with light smile on his lips.  
"Is uncle Courf and uncle Comby here too?" Patrick asked.  
"I don't know. Maybe, if we're lucky, we would catch uncle Grantaire with Azelma too," Enjolras asked helping Éponine to stand up. She smiled at him. How he always loved that smile. _  
_People were watching the happy family walking through the streets. It was something new to them. There wasn't much families which were this happy._  
_"When are we going to see Colette and Nicholas?" Frances asked.  
"I don't know. We can go for a visit tomorrow, okay?" Enjolras answered looking at Éponine. She nodded, but he could saw tiredness in her eyes.  
"Are you okay?" he asked her when kids run into Musain. She nodded.  
"Just little tired but don't worry. I will be fine by tomorrow," she smiled.  
"Maybe Joly should look at you," he said but she objected.  
"I'm fine. Don't worry," she said, walking into Musain._  
_  
"Don't worry."_  
_Sentence which he hated so much._

* * *

And he had a reason for it. Every time she said, he shouldn't worry, something wasn't right. He looked at Rose still thinking. Even when he was seventy, his memories were sharp like from yesterday. And he knew that he won't forget on this one that easily.

* * *

_Her breathing was unsteady and weak. Their third child was born. Daughter. But what was a price of her born?  
Éponine lost too much blood and more complications came. She was dying. And he knew it._  
_"Take... care of them," she exhaled slowly with a light smile on her lips.  
"Please, don't. You're strong Éponine, you'll make it!" he cried silently.  
"Both of us know, that it's too late. Be a good father to them and keep an eye on Patrick," she almost whispered.  
"Éponine please..."  
"You can not insist when death is coming for sure. Please, don't mourn me for too long. I'll be with you, I promise," her voice was weaker and weaker. He squeezed her hand softly.  
"I know you will," he answered kissing her gently. She smiled at him.  
"You will live a long life," she whispered. He placed his hand on her sweated forehead.  
"I'll be waiting for you,"she continued, her eyes closing slowly. She was so weak. So... fragile.  
How can he be father to this small girl, when she won't remember her mother? How will this girl live without mother?  
"Sleep now dear Éponine. Sleep," he whispered. And as her eyes closed room was filled with his sobs. He leaned over her kissing her one last time. Her eyes opened a little and she smiled.  
"I love you the way you are and ... even...when you don't love... me I'll... I will love you..." her voice faded slowly. Her eyes closed.  
Tear fell on her face, shattering.  
"Forever," he said the last word of the sentence she cannot finish._  
_He took her hand, holding it for a few minutes. Door opened, Musichetta in them. She came to his side placing hands on his shoulders. He sobbed and turned to her.  
"Is she..." she didn't finish her sentence. He just nodded.  
"Where is she?" he asked slowly.  
"Sleeping," Musichetta answered.  
"Just like her mother does," he sighed and stood up from chair. He could saw tears in Musichetta's eyes.  
"How do you name her?" she asked suddenly. Enjolras head bowed. Éponine told him, that it would be surprise. But she didn't tell him. So he'll name all of their children.  
"Rose. Her name is Rose."_

* * *

Rose loved her mother even when she didn't met her. One look into her father's eyes and she found the love which he was keeping only for her mother. She knew her mother loved her. And love her now, in heaven.  
They finally reached the cemetery. There wasn't anybody. It was empty. Snow was floating through the air, wind blowing it away.  
Her grave wasn't big. It was a small one. He came closer, removing snow from the cold stone. He sighed and placed a deep red rose on her grave.  
They were silent, praying.  
"Father?" he heard Rose's voice asking him.  
"Yes?"  
"Why is it always rose you place here?" she asked him.  
Small smile appeared on his lips.

"Because she's my rose of happiness."

* * *

A/N  
So end of this story.  
I'm quite sad it's ending, but I have another story building up in my head.  
I'm not going to change this story as complete now, because I'm about to give this story to some beta. After repairing my mistakes, I'll re-post the whole story and I'll let you know in description. ( It depends if I'll find some beta :D)  
So really big thanks to everybody!  
Goodbye for now, but hope to see you soon too!


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